


Three Stages of Love

by aohataaa



Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Courtship, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Forming Relationships, Light-Hearted, M/M, Mild Drama, Mutual Attraction, Romance, Slice of Life, mild smut in latter chapters, minor high school life, slightly older characters, sometimes adults forget they're not kids anymore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:28:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 76,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21629869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aohataaa/pseuds/aohataaa
Summary: Single Dads AU.Kaji Akihiko has recently switched to a different job and meets home-based writer Nakayama Haruki while picking up their kids at kindergarten. Model and budding actress Uenoyama Yayoi is getting suspicious about the mixed signals from her partner Yatake Kouji, a successful freelance videographer. And newly-wedded high school teacher Murata Ugetsu is handling a rumored troublesome batch of third-years and just needs a long-due honeymoon with his musician husband.Six full-fledged adults, three relationships, one unexpectedly colorful year.
Relationships: Fictional Character/Murata Ugetsu, Kaji Akihiko & Murata Ugetsu, Kaji Akihiko/Nakayama Haruki, Nakayama Haruki & Yatake Kouji, Yatake Kouji/Uenoyama Yayoi
Comments: 97
Kudos: 131





	1. Chapter 1 / Part I: First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> \- **Rated T for a few mild smut scenes in further chapters. Cues will be indicated in the beginning notes.** Aside from the mild drama in a few parts, the story is mostly rated G.  
> \- Ritsuka and Yayoi are not related by blood in this story.  
> \- Following his father's surname, Ritsuka won't be called 'Uenoyama' in this fic. Same with Mafuyu's situation.  
> \- The place names are a hodgepodge of fact and fiction. Also a lot of random support names but won't be anything too important.  
> \- Read for laughs and smiles.  
> \- Edit 01/09/20: Updated Chapters 1-9.

  
\- Part I -  
  


“Winter is an etching,   
spring is a watercolor,  
summer is an oil painting,  
and autumn is a mosaic of them all.”  
— Stanley Horowitz, 1983  
  


Spring

Early April  
  


1

Yamanoue High School  
  


The perfectly aligned rows of students wearing their crisp uniforms sat in their folding chairs as Principal Shibata gave his welcoming speech to start another school semester. Sitting with his co-teachers at the side of the stage, 30-year-old Murata Ugetsu stifled a yawn as he watched the hands of the giant wall clock near the exit door move in precise beats, ticking away the minutes of another mundane 8 o'clock morning in spring. He noted the section of the second-years were a little restless, some of the girls giving him excited looks and sneaking a small wave with their dainty hands. Ugetsu hand-signaled them discreetly to set aside their chatter and pointed to the speaker on the stage, pressing a finger to his lips for 'silence'.

After the speech, the students and teachers clapped their hands in respect and Vice-Principal Watanabe proceeded to orient the student body with the core values of Yamanoue High and his bright expectations from everyone in the school. Ugetsu and his co-teachers took it as their cue, same as every first term assembly for the past years, that the person was going to call them up the stage next to introduce the teachers of the new semester.

There was Yukimura as the stoic headteacher for the third-years (same as last year's), followed by the homeroom advisors for each of the four sections per level from first to the third-years. Then there were the subject teachers with their specific fields of expertise, which included Ugetsu himself. The teachers bowed to Principal Shibata, then to Vice Principal Watanabe, then nodded to each other as their names were introduced one by one in front of the students. After Yukimura's short spiel for the third-years, the teachers exited the stage, bowed to the Japanese flag, and went back to their seats in an orderly fashion. 

The vice-principal proceeded with a quick rundown of the schedule for the week and called the new council president to give his own words of encouragement for his fellow schoolmates. After the school anthem, the assembly was finally adjourned and students filed out of the building, folding their chairs and lining them up at one corner of the hall for easier transfer to the storage room.

"THERE. HE. IS! Oh I'm so happy for you!" the bubbly home economics teacher Inoue came flying to Ugetsu from across the faculty room, bringing with her the new English assistant teacher Ms. Belle by the arm. Her height only reached up to the foreigner's shoulders but the level of her enthusiasm was hardly petite; a cute trait to the young woman that made her well-liked among her pupils.

"It's our pleasure to have you with us this year, Belle-sensei," Ugetsu greeted his younger co-teacher, noting her blue-gray eyes widen in surprise as he communicated in straight English. "I could tell from the assembly the students can't wait to meet you."

Ms. Belle reciprocated his smile with a hand over her heart, her full bangs sweeping at her neatly trimmed eyebrows. "Oh, that is too kind of you sensei… um… sensei…"

"Murata. I teach third-year literature."

"Ah yes, Murata-sensei! Pardon, there's a lot of names to remember since this morning. You have good English!"

"That's very kind of you. Inoue-sensei has already given you a tour of the campus this morning, I presume? And please rest easy, we're only half-day today after all," Ugetsu noticed the other staff watching over their non-Japanese conversation while everyone else bustled around in the faculty room. Some were pulling out their new teaching materials for class, others checking and re-checking their lesson plans. Being the first class of the day, the homeroom advisors excused themselves first, while the other personnel gave them encouraging words as they exited the room.

"Belle-sensei, Murata-san finally _finally_ tied the knot just last month!" Inoue enthused but in a hushed voice. "How was the honeymoon?"

The foreign teacher only blinked at Ugetsu, not quite catching all the Japanese words.

"I got married last month," he translated, and Ms. Belle's face expressed absolute glee. "And no, we haven't gone to our honeymoon yet."

From happy to horrified, the two female teachers immediately gasped loudly in unison right in front of him. 

"But Murata-sensei! Every newly-wedded wife _dreams_ to have that perfect romantic getaway with her rightful man!" the new teacher said in dismay, her mouth in a concerned pout.

"Now now. It's only _delayed_ , not canceled. Oh, and I forgot to mention," Ugetsu quickly added as he faced Ms. Belle. He still smiled, knowing her reaction would be completely out of his hands for what he was about to say, but there wasn't anything holding him back for revealing a certain fact about himself to the new foreign assistant teacher. "I don't have a wife. I have a husband."

And sure enough, there was a brief silence between him and the taller woman, but Ugetsu didn't waver in every word he had said.

"That's… amazing, Murata-san! Really," Ms. Belle finally replied with a sweet smile. "I'm glad you have found someone to share your happiness with."

"Well said, well said!" Inoue agreed. "And here, it's a present for you," she showed Ugetsu a silk-embroidered omamori from a nearby Shinto shrine.

"A charm? For what?" he blinked suspiciously at the object.

"You know the rumors going on about the second-years last year with Kishibe-san? That she almost cried because of certain rude students in her class?"

Ugetsu only raised an eyebrow. He had heard the gossip last year, yes, but had forgotten the trifle until his co-teacher mentioned it again. Being second-years in the previous semester, that meant those teenagers were the ones they would be handling for the entire school year; all twelve months and four seasons of either happy scrapbook memories or plain hell... or maybe a mix of both.

"Which one's your first class again tomorrow?" the younger woman eyed him carefully.

"3-4."

Inoue sighed and patted him on the shoulder, stuffing the talisman in the man's breast pocket. "You have my contact number if you want to go out for drinks," she reminded him warily, while the newly-wedded man just stared back at her without anything else to say.  
  


***  
  


2

Suzuran Café  
  


"Oh honeybun, I can't decide! They all look so good!" the female customer whined, clinging to her partner's arm like a koala to a tree branch. "I want the salted caramel one but the flower-shaped sprinkles on the strawberry looks so cute!"

The patient café staff Nakayama Haruki tried his best not to doodle spirals and stick people on his order sheet, having waited already five minutes for his pair of customers to finish ordering from the menu. After noting down their entrées, the young couple was currently stuck picking a matching beverage from Suzuran's new spring-themed drinks, Haruki thought the season might actually be _over_ by the time they finished deciding what to order and internally groaned at the thought.

"Baby, I can get the white chocolate and you get the strawberry," the male partner insisted, pointing to the pictures on the menu board.

The sheen of the gold band on his left ring finger caught Haruki's attention and the Suzuran staff glanced at the woman's hands clutching her partner's arm. As expected, Haruki found she was wearing a similar item on the same finger.

_'Uwaaaa, such a young pair.'_

The girl pondered for a couple of seconds with a tilt of her head, her shiny hair was almost as pink as the strawberry drink itself and acquiesced. "Okay, but can we get extra cherries too?"

"No problem," Haruki grinned at them with a short scribble on his notepad and politely excused himself from their table, silently thanking the gods the agony was over.

"Welcome to Suzuran," he greeted with his co-staff when they heard the door chime ring to announce another customer.

"Yo," the voice greeted from behind the bar counter.

"Hi," Haruki didn't even bother turning around already knowing who it was, currently minding another person's order. He finished placing the food platters on a tray, tucked enough tissue napkins on the side, and his younger co-worker Ueki easily picked it up with practiced ease to the awaiting customers. After wiping the prep table ready for another order, Haruki accommodated his familiar guest at the bar counter at last with a pleasant smile. "The usual?"

Haruki's best friend Yatake Kouji looked up from his typing on his phone, the bags under his eyes a little more noticeable that afternoon. "As cold as my frozen soul."

"Let me guess, you pulled another all-nighter," the other said while starting to prepare his friend's iced drink.

"Close. Five hours of sleep is better than none!" Kouji enthused sarcastically and Haruki only chuckled in reply. "Yayoi is not in the mood to take her break at the agency so I invited her for lunch to cool her head. She's on her way here, by the way."

Haruki made a quick sour face. "Sounds tough."

"Saw a bunch of kids and their moms walking to school this morning. Today's first day of classes, right? How was it?" Kouji pocketed his phone in his jacket.

"Aaah, _that_ ," Haruki stressed, his mind recalling the supposedly 'important' day in his son's life that morning, attending Kindergarten 2 for the first time. "You know how I was expecting Mafuyu to cry and then I'd be the one to coddle him and give him hugs and plenty of kisses and say I'll be back to pick him up later on?… NOTHING, Take-chan! Some kids were clinging to their moms not to go and wailing outside their rooms, but Mafuyu? He just zipped away when he saw the teachers calling in to start class! He just said 'Bye, Dad!' and scooted, and I was there 'Okay, nnn, sure. Have a nice day at school' and thinking about all the what-ifs that could happen. What if he trips or if another kid picked on him or I don't know… tries to find the bathroom by himself and gets lost…" he rambled, serving his friend's finished iced coffee on the counter.

"Child separation anxiety; expectations…" Kouji said holding out one hand, "versus reality…" he held out another hand but in Haruki's direction.

"Oh just wait 'till _you_ get a kid. I will remind you of that line, you can count on that," the café staff said bitterly with a hand on his hip. 

"Yeah yeah, sure. But before getting into all the parenthood stuff, I want to ask Yayoi one important question first," Kouji gestured Haruki to come closer.

The other followed, gazing at his best friend's eyes intently and closed the distance between them, eager to hear what the other man was going to say.

"Oops, sorry I was interrupting your moment," the fashion model Yayoi Uenoyama said flatly to the two men; their faces leaned towards each other at a rather _intimate_ distance. Her long dark hair was a beautiful waterfall of ebony along the sides of her face, and even without make-up, she was still a natural beauty to behold at any angle. Her presence at the door was almost angelic, the rays of the spring afternoon sun shining a halo on her hair.

Haruki straightened up immediately, hands at his back with his on-duty grin, while Kouji quickly defended himself to his girlfriend without missing a beat.

"It's not what you think!"

Behind them, the other staff Ueki poked his head from the back room, not even questioning the awkward silence among the three people at the counter, calmly greeting the new customer in the artisan café. "Welcome to Suzuran..."  
  


***  
  


3

The Play House Kindergarten  
  


There was a fragrance of fruity perfume to his left, the scent of a newly-bought paperback book to his right. 29-year-old Kaji Akihiko tapped his fingers on his knee as he listened to the music playlist in his phone, keeping his volume to moderate while being sandwiched between two lady parents in the kindergarten waiting lounge. Only a couple of minutes left until it was dismissal time for the kids and Akihiko was looking forward to seeing his 5-year-old Ritsuka after sending him off that morning with little tears in the boy's eyes as his teacher ushered him to class.

The lady on Akihiko's left dropped her ball of yarn that she was knitting and he watched it roll towards the feet of a blonde man he nearly mistook for a woman. One side of his hair was in a fashionable braid that ended in a low side-ponytail, the blonde shade of his locks matching the amber-like irises of his eyes. The way the person he wore his pink button-down made it look so effortless to sport the tricky color, Akihiko wondered if that man might be born with the blessing of spring. 

"Here," Akihiko heard the man say to the mother beside him, handing her the ball of soft yarn. The woman nodded to him thankfully and the man chuckled that rang clearly over the music playing in his earpods. The two of them exchanged a few glances, feeling a little awkward before the blonde man returned to his seat. 

"Arara, it's quite rare to see fathers picking up their child after school, isn't it?" the knitting mother said in kind nature. "Your wife is working?"

"Oh, it's just me and my son," Akihiko answered politely, removing his earpieces and tucking them away in his pocket.

"You're same as Nakayama-san then," she said, gesturing to the blonde man in pink. "He's also a nice gentleman, we met earlier this morning."

Akihiko saw the other single father grin as the lady acknowledged him and the two adult men bowed their heads to each other in casual greeting. He wanted to introduce himself at least to the other parent, but the sound of a handbell distracted them in the waiting lounge. The classroom doors slid open and a stream of noisy children filled the corridors followed by their teachers in their pastel uniform aprons.

The mothers (and the two fathers) happily greeted their kids, praising them for going through their first day of school. Akihiko ruffled Ritsuka's jet black hair, realizing he had actually missed seeing the little boy even though it was only less than half of the entire day. His son whined, getting impatient to get outside and probably go home, pulling Akihiko to his feet and asking if they could get ice cream on their way back to the apartment.

Akihiko heard Nakayama gasp dramatically while a boy wearing a plaid hoodie showed him his little bento container. "You finished your lunch? That's amazing! Good job there, buddy," he high-fived his son with a warm smile that could probably melt a glacier.

"Ahhh, he's the one who kept taking my napping spot!" Ritsuka called out to the copper-haired boy with Nakayama. "His name is Mafuyu."

"Easy there, little man. Politeness," Akihiko reminded him, slightly uneasy about his son's occasionally sharp tongue.

But Nakayama only laughed, a heart-tingling kindness in his voice, taking Ritsuka's words lightly. "Mafuyu, you made a new friend?" he asked in an innocent tone, putting away the empty Tupperware inside his son's red randoseru bag.

The boy named Mafuyu nodded, facing his new playmate who was busy pulling his father's arm towards the exit of the school but with not much luck. He looked at Akihiko, suddenly daunted by the man's height towering over him and shrank back in Nakayama's arms. "Hello," he bowed sheepishly with big round eyes.

"Hello," Akihiko replied, still not budging from Ritsuka's persistent yanks at his arm. In consequence, his son nearly lost his balance, almost tripping over himself but Nakayama's quick reflex caught him right before he fell.

"Tsk, Ritsuka," the father said in a warning tone. "He can be a little runt sometimes, pardon."

"No harm done," Nakayama assured him, making sure the dark-haired boy was steady again on his feet. "I have some candy here, would you like some?" he fished out some individually wrapped caramels in his pocket, the shiny paper immediately catching Ritsuka's attention.

The boy glanced at his father for approval and Akihiko gave him an encouraging nod. He picked a blue one in Nakayama's hand and started unwrapping the confectionery with his little hands.

"Rikka, what do you say?" the taller man raised an eyebrow.

Ritsuka paused, candy mid-shove into his mouth. "Thank you!" he said hurriedly and ate his caramel with a winning smile, his left cheek in a lump as he chewed happily on the treat. Akihiko mentally facepalmed.

"You're welcome," the friendly man said in equal cheerfulness and also let Mafuyu have a piece of candy. "Uh, Ritsuka, was it?" he asked Akihiko to confirm the boy's name.

"Yep. 'Ka' as in 'summer,'" he replied briefly, holding back not to give _his own_ name instead.

"This one is Mafuyu," Nakayama gestured to his son who was now also chewing his candy in content, his plump cheek a perfect match to Ritsuka's. "Exactly as 'midwinter,'" he added almost softly and Akihiko wasn't sure if there was a faint pinkness in the other man's face.

"Dad, are we going to see the doggies today?" Mafuyu tugged at his father's sleeve. "The doggies and the kitties."

"Oh, right, right," the man said, taking his boy's hand and both parents knew it was right about time to go on their merry way for the rest of the early afternoon. "We'll see each other again tomorrow? Uh… Ritsuka's… father… dad…"

"Kaji Akihiko."

"Ah, Kaji-san then," Nakayama bowed to him and the taller man returned the greeting. "Nakayama Haruki," he spoke cordially. "'Aki as in 'autumn'?"

"Right after summer," Akihiko confirmed. He wanted to ask a similar question but stopped at the thought. It was a cheesy idea and a corny pick-up line but Ritsuka got ahead of him as if the child had already read his mind.

"Does Haruki-san's name mean 'spring'?"

Akihiko froze and wanted to dig himself a grave right then and there, wishing the other parent to brush off the question and change the topic instead. But the way Nakayama's expression softened sent a hiccup to his heartbeat, seeing the man's warm toffee brown eyes looking at Ritsuka as though the boy was his own child.

"Why yes it does," Nakayama answered kindly as a faint wind swayed his blonde hair that looked gold under the sun.

"Ah. Okay. Cool," Ritsuka merely replied. He saw a cherry blossom petal fluttering above Mafuyu's head and tried to catch it but missed. Mafuyu giggled shyly at the other boy's failed attempt; the tiny sound like a happy twitter of a singing bird on a tree branch. Akihiko began to wonder if he inherited the trait from his father, whose laughter also had a clear bright tone that made him think of blooming flowers and dancing butterflies in the peak of spring.

West Neighborhood

"Ritsu, how was school today?" Ugetsu asked while sipping his mug of hot tea at Akihiko's dining table. The way he rested his chin in his hand and crossed his legs casually made him look like he was living in the father-and-son's apartment himself.

"It was okay," Ritsuka sat on the floor half-distracted by the Lego skyscraper he was building, around him was a sea of the plastic toy blocks in varied shapes and colors. "We played hide-and-seek and Mafuyu kept following me around and we couldn't fit in the castle tower thinggy and Teacher caught us right away! Dad, do you remember Mafuyu?"

"Yep, sure do." Akihiko fumbled with his own Lego creation with his son on the floor, choosing the perfect pieces to construct his own chunky toy masterpiece. He read 7:30 on the clock and took note of his son's bedtime in a few hours, being careful Ristuka won't get up in a bad mood for school the next morning. "He was the boy who ate all his lunch, unlike _someone_ I know who left the peppers in his bento."

Ritsuka made a grumpy face. "Are you finished with my spaceship?" he asked impatiently.

"Oh pardon for tarrying Your Highness, here." Akihiko passed him the finished Lego piece.

"Thank you!" the boy chirped, his mood changed in an instant and started making spaceship noises around his mini skyscraper city on the polished hardwood floor.

"Aren’t you supposed to be relaxing at _your_ place?" Akihiko asked, taking his own seat at the table across Ugetsu and frowned at his already-lukewarm tea.

"I've been at home all afternoon and Rui is out," the other man groaned. "Said he'll be back later. I just live in the next building anyway," he said flippantly with a wave of his hand. "Wasn't expecting Ritsuka to find a new friend on his first day."

"Know what, me neither." Akihiko sipped at his tea, feeling tempted to reheat it in the microwave. "The Mafuyu kid was quiet but they got along okay. Rikka even warmed up to his dad pretty fast, so that's another first."

"Well now. How rare, another father picking up his own child at school. The mother must be the breadwinner of the family."

"He's also on his own."

Ugetsu gave him a curious blink, then his mouth formed into a smirk that Akihiko knew all too well since their younger days. It was the face of a scheming man who enjoyed seeing his friend fumble in the dark with the crazy ideas forming in his head, only giving Akihiko a trail of breadcrumb hints if he kept his eyes peeled along the path he was going. "I see," he replied before taking another sip of his hot drink, unspoken tease oozing between his words. 

Akihiko only stared back at him completely puzzled while Ritsuka's energetic spaceship noises filled the silence of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

A week later  
  


1

Central Neighborhood  
  


High school boy Yoshida Yuki didn't notice there was a small hole in his shirt when he left his house that weekend morning, lugging a small pet carrier to his volunteer job in a quiet neighborhood around Machida City. He crossed the street at a FamilyMart when the pedestrian light turned green, joining a sea of people minding their own business, a protective arm wrapped around the bulky object he was carrying. He walked past the busy shopping district and the public library a few blocks away from his cram school and passed through the city park for a shortcut. The Hanamaru Animal Shelter looked almost like a misplaced gingerbread house in the middle of the suburban district, its white picket fence and Western-style façade made the place all the more cartoonish, complete with the sign outside the glass door in cute font with tiny paw prints framing the thick hiragana letters.

Upon entering the building, Yuki greeted the front desk and walked along the narrow corridor to the back room, where most of the staff discussed their work. "Morning, Haruki-san," he greeted, setting down the pet carrier on the freshly disinfected observation table. "This little guy just finished his checkup and the doc said he's good to go."

Haruki looked away from the desktop computer, its screen showing a photo gallery of the animals that were ready for adoption. His face lit up when he heard the good news and joined Yuki as the teenager unzipped the small pet-friendly bag on the table. "Hear that little one?" he cooed when his eyes met the beady eyes of a small white Pomeranian pup staring nervously at him. "He's more on the quiet side unlike the others, huh."

"Could be. Or he's simply not yet comfortable at all. After being abandoned and then picked up by a stranger, taken to different places, then poked around by a doctor…" Yuki lightly scratched the puppy's ear and played with its poofy tail.

"They really didn't find a chip?"

"Nope," the 17-year-old answered. "They scanned him twice or thrice, there was really nothing."

Haruki sighed at the thought. He was hoping the puppy actually _had_ a home and could still find its owner, but the idea of another helpless dog being thrown away for whatever reason, his heart wanted to crumble into pieces. "We'll help you find a new home soon, little one," he said to the unnamed dog and was surprised when it gently sniffed and licked his hand with a small tongue.

"Ah, Yuki-niichan!" Mafuyu called out at the doorway wearing a small apron, a pair of rain boots, and oversized rubber gloves. Some of his hair was dripping wet, his apron had large blots of water, and a familiar waft of wet dog permeated the air.

"Itaya-niichan and I finished giving Waffles a bath and and…" he paused, seeing the new white puppy cradled in Haruki's arms. His brown eyes went wide as saucer plates and approached his father cautiously.

"Hey kiddo," Yuki greeted Mafuyu with a ruffle of the boy's copper hair. "We have a new guy who needs our help."

"There's a little hole in your shirt."

Yuki heard his senior co-worker hide a sputter, facing away from his direction. "Ripped jeans are out now, didn't you know?" he said, justifying his clothing and the gullible boy gave him an innocent 'Oohhh' in return.

"Haruki-san, the lady is back. The one who wants to adopt Paisley the orange tabby." The other teen volunteer Itaya poked his head into the back room.

"Be right there," the man answered, putting the puppy back in the carrier and washed his hands in the common sink. He nodded to Yuki, padding away to the front desk wearing his soft animal slippers, leaving his 5-year-old boy to the teenager's care.

Removing his boots and his gloves, Mafuyu approached the observation table and Yuki could practically see his eyes sparkling in curiosity. "You know, he's going to need a name," he said, helping the boy up the children's step stool to peer at the new puppy in its little temporary home.

The pristine white dog stared back in his little corner, shrinking back when Mafuyu tried to look at him from the mesh peephole at the side. Following his father's words, he remembered he should never touch any animal unless an adult told him it was okay to do so. Especially when he was meeting one for the first time.

"He's so white, like a snowball."

Yuki smiled, leaning against the table and shoving his hands his pockets. "How about Maru-tan? Or Watachin?" he said, looking around the room for any simple object as a name reference.

"Um…" Mafuyu pondered, still fixated on the small dog as if he was communicating to it with secret telepathic powers. "Kedama," he finally said. The puppy started wagging its tail, its tiny jowls curved upward as it panted more calmly, almost like a human smile.

"Sounds just about right," Yuki said contentedly and offered a small fist bump to Mafuyu. The boy happily obliged and the two exchanged a quick victory moment in the back room with a matching ear-to-ear grin. "Kedama it is."  
  


***  
  


2

Yamanoue High School  
  


"Please pass your writing exercises to the front, first row please pass to your left," Ugetsu instructed Class 3-4 that morning, wrapping up his introduction to contemporary literature and explaining their syllabus for the first semester. The wall clock at the back of the classroom read ten minutes until the end of class and Ugetsu realized he had already reached the end of his lesson plan for the day. "While we still have some minutes to spare, let's go over the short reporting we'll be having for the second half of the term when we start tackling _'No Longer Human'_ by Dazai Osamu."

Some of the students groaned in their seats.

"They're only short chapters, the novel isn’t even 300 pages, I know you guys can do it. Everyone will work on it by the group and there will be a simple guideline to follow so everyone will always be on-point. Each of you is expected to contribute to the report and will be graded individually for your output. The overall grade of your group work will be extra credit on your mid-terms. Now since we're 40 in this class and everyone is present, please count-off from one to eight by column, Aoki-san, please start."

"One…" the student began.

"Two…" her classmate behind her followed.

"Three," the male student behind her continued, and Ugestu monitored the rest of the process until the last student at the back counted his number.

"Good, now keep that number in mind when it's time to group up. I'll give the guidelines tomorrow in case some of you would want to read the text in advance."

"Murata-sensei," a male student called from his seat in the last row at the back. "Wouldn't it be better if we were grouped by friends instead?"

Ugetsu kept a calm face while addressing his pupil's inquiry, but before he could reply the haughty teen continued blabbering as if he was speaking in behalf of the entire class.

"Last time I took literature, the teacher was actually _educating_ the class and, y'know, not like making the students do their work."

The sandy blonde teen beside him clicked his tongue and the outspoken student gave him a bold head-to-toe glare. "Got a problem with me, Yoshida?"

"Dunno. Ask your ego, Homura."

A tense atmosphere filled the room but Ugestu hardly batted an eyelash at the tiny commotion. _'Ah yes, here we go,'_ he glanced at his class seat plan and identified the blonde boy as Yoshida Yuki.

"Sorry sensei, please continue," Yuki spoke up, ignoring his classmate's arrogance. He wore a hoodie sweater under his gakuran jacket with a smug expression on his face, a couple of ear cuffs showed a little of his eccentric taste and the guitar case beside his desk hinted at his music-inclined hobby. Ugetsu took it as mere amusement that the teen had his own air of confidence yet seemed more mature than his noisier seatmate.

Around 5:40 p.m., Ugetsu's phone dinged with a message and he took a sigh of relief. He put away his student's writing exercises in his desk drawer and returned his correction pens in their proper place. Gathering his things, he quietly excused himself to the remaining faculty in the teacher's room, ending his schoolwork for the day. Outside the school premise, he easily spotted a silver Toyota waiting for him on idle beside the sidewalk and Ugetsu welcomed the familiar scent of pine and leather when he opened the car door. He sat in the passenger seat and laid his portfolio bag in the back. Before he could even say a greeting, he found his husband leaning towards him and Ugestu met him half-way with a soft kiss.

"Would you like _La Pierre Bistro_ in Aoyama or _Casa Noche_ in Roppongi tonight?" Asahi Ruito asked as he shifted the gear to 'drive' and entered the main road. Ugetsu caught a faint whiff of vanilla from his clothes and wondered if it was only from his imagination. "Bistro," he answered, adjusting the air condition vent away from his direction. There was still a faint chill in the spring air and he abhorred getting dry skin, especially on his face. "Do you remember your lit class back senior high school?"

"Quite. Our teacher assigned us a bunch of reports and kept rambling how 'useful' it was going to be in college. It sucked at first but it wasn't _horrible_. Why? you've never worried about that before." 

"And I never should." Ugetsu dismissed the thought. "We just have an interesting batch this year, that's all."

Ruito glanced at him through his large tortoise eyeglasses, a favorite accessory even though he had perfect 20-20 vision. " _When I was just a little girl…_ " he started singing, his tune quite decent but only made his partner cringe. " _I asked my mother what will I be… Will I be pretty, will I be rich? Here's what she said to me._ "

"Argh, NO. Rui, not that one," Ugetsu groaned, leaning his head against the window, meanwhile the other chuckled lightly in the driver's seat.

"In light of foreign things, the live concerto is coming up in three weeks." Ruito flicked the right-turn signal and took the road leaving Machida City east-bound to central Tokyo after crossing a busy intersection.

"Is this why you're taking me out for dinner?"

"Ehhh, perhaps. Or simply because our house is empty of adequate necessities for a proper meal at the moment." He feigned a frown and Ugetsu scoffed, taking a mental note to stock up on their basic needs in their apartment, by tomorrow at the latest. "Sometimes I forget you're the older one in this relationship, Rui."

"I _am_ the older one, that's why I'm taking my younger beloved to a dinner date," the man reasoned childishly while Ugetsu shook his head like he was having a minor headache, but not hating it in any way.

The car slowed to halt at a red traffic light where a stream of pedestrians crossed hurriedly to opposite sides of the street. Knowing how long it took for the light to turn green, Ruito shifted his gear to 'neutral' and leaned closer to his husband ignoring the firm pull of his seatbelt, waiting for Ugestu to lock eyes with him.

"What."

"Actually, I lied," he admitted and Ugetsu cupped his left cheek with a gentle hand. "After minding our little abode for the whole day, our place is already spick and span. Your favorite wine is chilling in our cellar and dinner is waiting to be served by your command. We have seafood carpaccio with citrus dressing for our appetizer, a beef chateaubriand with soufflé potatoes as our main course, and for 'le dessert' we have honey ice cream with bavarois cream and Itakuja dark chocolate to cool your lovely palate."

"You practiced that in your head, didn’t you?" the other deadpanned while rubbing his thumb gently along Ruito's cheekbone.

"I have it on my phone and I was talking to myself the whole day." 

Ugetsu cracked up, laughing mirthfully in his seat and leaned in to press their mouths together, thankful that their car windows were heavily tinted for some privacy. He was only aiming for a short kiss but soon learned Ruito had other things in mind. The man didn't break away, tilting his head for a better angle to mold their mouths together, their lips in sweet gentle friction with each other. He tasted the lingering mint in the other's tongue as it slipped inside his mouth, drinking the sound of Ruito's guttural moan as they continued their heated kiss. Ugetsu's hands were already toying with the buttons of his partner's collared shirt, his heartbeat beginning to race in his chest. But just when he was eager to comb his fingers through Ruito's dark brown locks, the car behind them shyly honked its horn, jolting the two from their moment of passion.

The traffic light now shone green before them in clear view, the vehicle ahead of them already long gone. Ruito quickly straightened himself in his seat before taking the steering wheel to resume their drive.

Beside him, Ugestu's face was little flushed and feeling a bit tipsy as if he had taken strong alcohol in one tall shot. The growing heat spreading throughout his body was a little furnace begging for attention and the man closed his eyes to distract himself, knowing he had to _wait_ a little bit longer until they reached home. "If dinner's at the apartment, why are we taking the wrong exit?"

Ruito grinned while concentrating on the road, noting Ugetsu's expectant face in his periphery. "There's something you have to see first. Or should I say 'critique'."  
  
  


Main Tokyo  
  


Some minutes into their drive, Ugetsu's watch read 6:50 p.m. by the time their car passed along the crowded shopping district of Omotesando in Minato Ward. The building of the main mall displayed a large billboard of a man in a handsome white suit poised at his shiny viola with a curtained background. _'Asahi Ruito Live Concerto in Sydney Mid-Spring, NHK TV'_ the fancy letters said, the musician's face serene and princely in his outfit, his brown eyes downcast that showed-off his long lashes. 

"You look ridiculous," Ugetsu snorted beside the man driving him around main Tokyo, the exact same person in the giant poster before them illuminated in bright lights.

"Pretty crazy, huh. Not to be vain, but the longer I stare at it, the more it doesn't look like me. Is that weird?"

"They photoshopped your little moles."

"Ahhh! So _that's_ why! No wonder it felt like something was missing!" Ruito slapped the steering wheel in frustration and ran a hand through his neatly side-parted hair.

Ugetsu laughed, enjoying his husband's varied reactions; one moment he would sound coherent, then become a big goofball in the next. It was a fun combination of kid and adult that he had grown to love over the years, always keeping him on his toes not knowing what to expect. "Come on, viola boy. Drive your 'younger beloved' back for that fancy homemade dinner."

"Why yessir," Ruito obeyed, switching his lane to take the upcoming U-turn slot, already mapping their quickest route back to their apartment. "And while we're at it, let's resume that kiss first when we get back, shall we?" he started humming the rest of _'Que Sera Sera'_ happily and maintaining his driving speed, while Ugetsu nursed his minor headache again and just sighed in his seat.  
  


***  
  


3

West Neighborhood  
  


A loud splash.

Ritsuka showed his father the new action song he learned in school that day; a lively jellyfish rhyme with lots of arm-waving gestures to resemble the animal's flowing tentacles. Akihiko watched him dance and wiggle around in their bath, his legs folded in order to fit inside the tub. It was a quiet evening for the two boys, their curry dinner ready to be served by the time they were fresh from their hot soak and changed into clean shirts and pajamas. There were a dozen of things going on in Akihiko's head about his new work, but seeing Ritsuka's clumsy twirls and weird poses in his naked glory were something he wouldn't miss for the entire world.

"You're uh… a monkey looking for a banana." 

"It's a _jellyfish_ , Dad!"

"I thought we were playing charades," he grinned, leaning back against the tiled wall.

Ritsuka flopped down in his corner of the tub, the water easily reaching up to his chin; an endearing contrast to his father who was barely even shoulder-deep into their scented hot bath. Akihiko deemed the boy tired from his hyper dancing and needed a moment to recharge his kid batteries, observing the dark mop of hair on the boys head that was a complete opposite to his own pale blonde locks. To anyone's guess, most would think Ritsuka inherited most of his features from his mother's side but deep down for Akihiko, the answer wasn't so plain and simple.

"I miss Mum," the boy said calmly, herding his floating rubber dolphin back and forth in the water. "Can we see her again soon?"

Akihiko heard a loud drip from the shower faucet, the clear 'plop' a timely filler to the abrupt silence of the room. "Yeah, buddy. Why not," he spoke in an optimistic tone. As a single parent, he had learned over the past two years that the harder bits to provide for his child were supplying answers to the seemingly innocent questions he asked.

"Do you think she'd be happy if we get her different flowers this time?"

"Yeah, I bet."

"And she's also enjoying the cherry blossoms outside?"

"I can imagine it," Akihiko gave him a little smile. 

"Dad, will it just be the two of us forever? Since Mum's not coming back," Ritsuka blinked at him with his large bluish orbs, his little head poking out of the water like a dark round cookie floating in a glass of milk.

"You're going to meet plenty of people when you grow up, little man. It won't just be us forever," Akihiko told him. "You're already good friends with Mafuyu at school, right?"

"Hmm. I guess so," the boy shrugged nonchalantly. "He keeps following me around and I don't know why!"

"Maybe he wants to be your friend," his father coaxed, sitting back up and splashing some water to his face.

"Is Haruki-san your friend too?"

Akihiko paused with an annoyed expression. "It's _Na-ka-ya-ma_ -san."

"Ehhhh, too long! 'Haruki-san' is easier," Ritsuka slapped the water with a tiny splash that echoed inside their bathing room. 

"You know what else is easy?" his father said, standing up and stepping out of the tub in one easy stride. Ritsuka followed suit and Akihiko helped him out of the water, handing the boy his sailboat-printed towel to dry his body. "Changing into our PJ's and having dinner." Akihiko grabbed his own towel and wrapped it around his waist, ready to dry-off his son's wet hair.

But the mention of 'dinner' turned out to be a mistake, triggering Ritsuka's hyper button once again and the boy scrambled to the kitchen half-naked while trailing wet footprints around their apartment. "Yeah! Cu-rry... Cu-rry... Cu-rry..." Ritsuka chanted, jumping around their small 4-person dinner table, his bath towel already fallen on the polished floor.

His father sighed and shook his head in dismay, dressing himself first knowing it was futile to chase the energetic child around their kitchen. When he was fully clothed, he leisurely stepped into their bedroom, opened their balcony window, and made a dramatic gasp. "What is this?! Oh, FIREWORKS! WOW! This is AMAZING!" he exclaimed, making sure it was loud enough for his son to hear from across the small hall. "I have never seen ANYTHING like it! There's even a _Doraemon_ -shaped one! WOW!" Akihiko counted to three in his head as he took his quiet position behind the door, hearing the tiny _thump thump thump_ of Ritsuka's footsteps rushing towards their room right on cue. 

"Where’s the fireworks? Where's the fireworks?! I wanna see!"

But the boy was only met with a plain dark sky outside the bedroom window and a soft click of the sliding door as it shut. He turned around to see Akihiko guarding his exit with a smug grin, realizing he had fallen into a clever trap. On their rolled-up futon was his matching pajamas waiting for him to be worn and Ritsuka resentfully understood he had no escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- [_No Longer_ Human](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/194746.No_Longer_Human), Dazai Osamu.  
> \- [Que Sera Sera](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZbKHDPPrrc).  
> \- Asahi Ruito 旭瑠斗 : 'Morning sun' and 'lapis lazuli blue'. Loosely based on another air sign + blood type B personality. "Your viola boyfriend" —Akihiko.


	3. Chapter 3

Mid-April  
  


1

East Neighborhood  
  


Yayoi woke up shivering under the thick covers one weekday morning, rubbing her feet together for some friction to warm her cold toes in bed. There was pale daylight from her view of the windows across the bedroom and she straightened up immediately from her pillow, fumbling hurriedly for her phone. She clearly remembered setting her alarm at 7 a.m. the night before, the call-time for her photoshoot at 9 o'clock sharp and was ready to scream and chuck her phone at the wall as she checked the current time. _'Oh no oh no oh no oh no…'_

"Morning," the voice beside her said in a frustratingly relaxed tone. Her boyfriend Kouji scrolled his tablet beside her, comfortably leaning against a pile of pillows, the covers only up to his naked torso like his skin barely felt any chilly air at all. "It's only 6:35."

She ogled at him, her usually perfect hair in disarray, a couple of strands fallen across her face.

"We move at 7:45?"

Finally remembering Kouji had promised to drive her to work that day, Yayoi collapsed back to her pillows with a relieved sigh. Her partner gave a quick side-glance from his tablet and combed the messy locks of hair away from her face, his other hand paused at his gadget.

"Yeah, sounds good." Her voice was still hoarse and rubbed away the sleep from her groggy eyes. She shifted closer to her partner and curled into a tight ball, grateful she didn't have to worry about being late after all. The warmth of Kouji's skin against her cheek felt heavenly at the moment, dreading the summer-themed clothes she would be working with later at an open field, the spring breeze still a bit too cold from the winter season. "My arms and legs will be like chicken skin by the time this photoshoot is over."

"Better than beachwear though." Kouji planted a kiss on top of her head.

"I'm already shivering just thinking about it," Yayoi groaned, finding the hickey she left on the man's right chest last night; a habitual memento she would leave on his boyfriend's body whenever they made love, while hers remained clean. She knew it was a bit unfair, not allowing Kouji to do the same for her in return, but it was her own precaution as a model who had to keep a blemish-free skin as part of her work.

"We can try the new café at 109 to warm you up after, how about that?" Kouji suggested, flipping back the cover of his tablet and setting it down on his bedside table.

Yayoi blinked sleepily at the view outside their balcony window, a leg lazily wrapped around Kouji's waist. She didn't mind how unfeminine it looked under the covers for the time being, as long as it kept her from freezing her toes off in the cold morning. "You're unusually… _not_ busy today, aren't you."

The man pursed his lips with a shrug. "Only a few editing to finish this morning and the rest of my day is a clean slate. You and Haruki keep telling me to lessen the all-nighter habit, so this is my circadian rhythm rebelling against me at 5:30 a.m. Definitely _not_ yet my cup of tea but ehhh it's getting there. The Uemura couple's prenup shoot is this week though, I'll really try not go overboard," he said already fully awake and Yayoi knew it entailed another set of quiet days ahead. She was thankful at least that Kouji's clients this time weren't as fanciful as the others, the more extravagant ones who preferred faraway shooting locations that sometimes led to sleeping by herself in their apartment. She nuzzled her face against the man's bare chest, gathering some energy to start another workday, her noticeably smaller frame easily fitting in Kouji's arm.

"They're the interior design blogger couple?"

The man quickly checked their current time; it was just 6:50 a.m. "Yep."

"Another score. As if you needed any more promotion," she teased. "Sometimes I wonder if you've already memorized the entire wedding ritual by heart you can recite it in your sleep."

"You're giving me ideas to recite it to _you_ when you're asleep," Kouji muttered quickly under his breath.

Yayoi stared blearily at him, her mind half-drifting back to a quick snooze, unable to process all his words. "Huh."

"Um, I also have another job after next week," he added without much thought. "Spring's a favorite season for 'new beginnings', yeah?" he shifted to sit up while Yayoi rested herself back on her side of the bed.

"Nnn," she grumbled into her pillow, eyes closed once again.

"By 11:30 you'll be done with your shoot, right?"

"Right."

"And since it's still early, I can make a light breakfast for you instead of grabbing something on the way to work?"

"'Kay."

"And you're not going to snooze your alarm when it rings."

"Peaches."

"Are you really hearing all the stuff I'm saying?"

"…Sure."

"What's my favorite color?"

"…Many."

"If I put a ring on your finger right now, would you say also say yes?"

A long silence followed; Yayoi's mind only one reach away from claiming back her interrupted sleep. Her body was already relaxing again, her nerves falling back to serenity, Kouji's voice barely audible in her head. A few seconds later, she rolled over on her stomach to his boyfriend's warm side of the bed with a tired yawn, her full bangs pulled back that revealed her rarely seen forehead. "Sorry, what was that?" she finally cracked her eyes open to see Kouji facing the window while sitting at the edge of their bed.

"Nothing," he said quietly and peeked at her from behind his shoulder with a little smile.

Yayoi watched him grab a hair tie on his bedside table and secured his dark hair in a small ponytail. After putting on his drawstring sweatpants, he padded to the bathroom barefoot and topless, making her clueless how unfazed he was to the cold early morning air. With a good view of the man's back, she saw the trail of fingernail marks along Kouji's skin and bit her lip in embarrassment, worrying if she got a bit too aggressive with their love-making last night.

Her 7 a.m. alarm finally went off and she pressed 'Stop' instead of 'Snooze', remembering what her partner had said. Then again she didn't hear his last question clearly, now a little curious what Kouji had asked that made him smile the way he just did. Focusing her mind on the workday ahead, Yayoi guessed it was probably something trivial or silly or a lame joke to get her fully awake. She tucked the idea aside on a mental Post-It note to remind her later on in the day, not bothered to rush anything at all. In fact, it might not even be important in the first place, she thought. Maybe she would ask him tomorrow, or the day after the next, quite confident it wasn't something serious to think about anyway.  
  


***  
  


Early May  
  


2

Yamanoue High School  
  


 _'Two dimming lanterns, the river flows more slowly, one last gust of wind,'_ the haiku read and Ugetsu flipped it over face down on the neat stack of poems made by his students during their classes that day. _'Crickets in the dark, sing among themselves all night, a sweet harmony,'_ the next one said. _'I want to feel it, the breathtaking uncertainty, that comes with our love,'_ he smiled and checked the author of the poem, quite surprised at the name he found; Yagi Shizusumi.

"How are your classes so far, Murata-san?" the third-year adviser Yukimura asked as he passed by Ugetsu's desk to return some file folders on a nearby shelf.

"Unpredictable, but in a good way," he said in honesty, leafing over the last few handwritten papers on his table and marking out the students' names on his class list. There was a certain pen he wanted to use and realized it was missing from his desk, recalling he had used it during his lesson in class 3-1's room.

Yukimura nodded at him, his usual limited use or words except in consultations or meetings. "Very well, I leave it to you then. Good work today," he said and returned to his desk.

It was past departure at 4:30 p.m. and most of the halls were already empty while Ugetsu and other teachers not supervising any club were working at their own nooks in the faculty room. Ugetsu excused himself from his seat to check the 3-1 classroom for his favorite pen, hoping he wouldn't need to buy a replacement just yet. He passed through the quiet corridor of the third-year floor of the building, catching a few remaining students finishing up their clean-up duties in their respective rooms.

Approaching the furthest section from the stairs, Ugetsu was certain he heard a guitar being strummed and loud banter of male voices echoing through the hallway. He peered into of 3-1's room and found two students moving around the chairs and desks, one with a broom and dustpan while the other was clearing the chalkboard ledge of excess dust. Sitton on the back cubbyholes was a third boy not helping his two schoolmates, one leg folded in his seat where his red electric guitar was propped and strummed lazily in disconnected tunes.

"You missed a spot." Yuki paused humming a random melody, mid-strum of his red Gibson.

"Well you make a lousy radio," the on-duty student Kashima Hiiragi replied in mild revenge while working with his broom.

By an open window, the taller Yagi Shizusumi wiped off the fingerprint marks on the clear glass with a damp cloth. He was moving at a more efficient pace than his classmate but minded his own business. "Maybe he's composing another song," he opined after dusting off the chalk erasers thoroughly and putting them back on the ledge. He noticed Hiiragi was still on his sweeping duty and his shoulders drooped with a slight frown. "You're still not done?"

Yuki snorted in laughter, not moving from his seat. "As expected of a princess."

Hiiragi seethed in his spot.

"Okay, okay, I'll do a song to cheer you up. For _motivation._ " Yuki warmed up his strings, testing a few notes then did a loud twang. "By the time this ends, you two better be finished so we can head to the studio for practice."

Before the teen could even play his first few chords, Shizusumi was already putting back the remaining upturned seats at their proper desks, not even saying a word.

" _There you see her… sitting there across the way,_ " the boy with the guitar began, gently plucking the acoustic tune of a Disney song from a popular Western children's movie. " _She don't got a lot to say but there's something about her…_ "

Hiiragi grumbled as he resumed his work while Shizusumi was already one-third of his way around the classroom; the two students carefully observed by their friend, serenading for them with their hardly romantic student chores.

" _And you don’t know why, but you're dying to try, you know you wanna… kiss the girl._ "

"Oy, wait a sec! What kind of motivation song is _that_ supposed to be?" Hiiragi complained at Yuki's lyrics while emptying the trash bin, its contents nearly missing the garbage bag Shizusumi was holding out for him. "What's with the sappy kissy stuff?!"

"Oh, Murata-sensei." Yuki waved at Ugetsu.

"Don't mind me, gentlemen. Just came back to get something," he said, easily spotting the pen he was looking for on the teacher's table. Hiiragi and Shizusumi paused at their work to bow their heads at him in greeting and he returned their gesture with a small nod. He noted the 3-1 student Hiiragi had a slight blush in his cheeks while his classmate Shizusumi merely looked bored at what he was doing, then gave Yuki a knowing smirk before leaving the three boys in the room. 

  
  
West Neighborhood  
  


After toeing off his shoes at the genkan, Ugetsu set down his keys in a ceramic dish on top of a wooden shoe shelf. There was no other pair of footwear beside his own yet and the man dismissed the thought of announcing 'I'm home' to an empty hallway, knowing Ruito wasn't around to greet him 'Welcome back.' After setting down his things on his working desk near the sofa, he loosened his tie and unfastened the top buttons of this shirt on his way to the kitchen for a glass of water.

The number of souvenir magnets Ruito had collected over the years from his various travels were all there on the fridge door, sometimes arranged in weird patterns by the man himself whenever he had random whims or wanted to annoy him. Sometimes they were arranged in a shape of a heart when he was in a (rare) romantic mood, on other occasions it would be a sad face if he had pissed off Ugetsu and wanted to apologize. Today the magnets were only neatly arranged in plain rows and columns, nothing too weird or playful and Ugetsu thought his husband was simply preoccupied with his work. But upon closer inspection, he realized Ruito had actually arranged the colorful trinkets in nerdy alphabetical order.

He went to their bedroom and opened his closet, pulling out a violin case that was very close to his heart. Ugetsu took it out to their living area and set it on the sofa, the familiar crisp sound of the metal latches as it opened bringing him waves of nostalgia. His violin was neatly polished, just as he had left it, resting in its bed of red velvet fabric. _'Accompany me for a little while,'_ he said to the elegant string instrument, gently picking it up by the neck as he had done plenty of times before. Removing a bow from one of the holders, he tucked the violin under his chin and started strumming lightly while his fingers carefully adjusted the pegs to tune the strings.

The late afternoon sun shone rays of sunlight into the living room, a few dust motes glittering as it floated in the air. Ugetsu loathed the stillness of the space around him, eager to fill his home with sounds of life instead of a hollow silence that felt suffocating even in daylight. He poised his bow at the bridge of his violin, his other hand ready on the fingerboard and strummed the notes of a music piece that plucked the heartstrings of his youth.

Closing his eyes, Ugetsu remembered the first event he had played that Tchaikovsky piece; a performance during his high school days in front of parents and other students for a recital. Those years of yearning for a music career, before he realized he wanted to pursue the academe path instead. He thought he could set aside his violin back then when he reached university to concentrate on his studies, but his friend Akihiko invited him to a concerto one day, and that was the first time he laid eyes on the confident violist Asahi Ruito on a grand stage. After a casual introduction to each other after the event, Ugetsu practically heard a sound note strummed in his ears when he first heard Ruito's voice, and since then he couldn't deny the man had been churning music from his heart even as they exchanged their nuptial vows on a perfectly blue-skied morning.

"Oh. I didn't hear you come in," he paused his mini-performance in the living room, his audience a quiet crowd of bookshelves and throw pillows, sparkly dust motes and refrigerator magnets.

" _'None But the Lonely Heart'_?" Ruito tilted his head, his shoulder gently leaned against the door frame, a hand shoved into his pocket. A wisp of his side-parted hair fell close by his left eye, his hazel brown irises were deeply entrancing from where he stood right before a window.

Ugetsu shrugged. "It was the first thing that came to my head," he watched Ruito approach him with an almost-hypnotized gaze and nearly took a step back. The man closed the distance between them in a few strides and leaned down to give a light peck on his cheek.

"I'm home?" the other greeted in question, brows furrowed as if in apology.

"Welcome back," he answered, attempting not to sound _too_ amused.

Ruito made his way to his own viola case by the window and bought out his own string instrument, a nearly identical object to Ugetsu's violin but a slightly larger body with a squint-worth of differences in the strings. "Something riled you up?"

The younger man was tongue-tied for a moment, not expecting his partner to be so quick on his feet to play alongside him. He wasn't even _that_ well-practiced as Ruito, only playing the violin as a hobby. "No," he said with a secretive smile, remembering the three boys in the 3-1 classroom. "I read too many haikus today in one sitting."

"Oho, says the man who eats poetry for breakfast," Ruito commented while tuning his strings with only a few twists on his viola pegs. "Your pick," he offered as though casually giving him a turn at a random game.

Ugetsu sifted through his memories and found one duet that stood out above the rest; a piece they had played at a friend's birthday celebration a little after graduating university, a performance that tested their patience and wits until they could practically synchronize their heartbeats in their sleep. "Handel-Halvorsen," he said and watched a satisfied expression bloom on his husband's face.

Ruito joined him in his little 'stage' in the middle of their living area, his body angled to face Ugetsu that conveyed his trust. The light from their windows cast a natural spotlight on them, their long shadows about meet and dance and form new shapes on the hardwood floor. "All right then," he gazed at Ugetsu with half-lidded eyes, similar to inviting the other man to bed. Ruito mirrored his partner's stance, both men ready to strum their first notes that needed no music score. He took a quick glance at Ugetsu with an airy tug on his lips, the two of them about to close their eyes and sink deep into passionate harmony. 

"Make love with me," Ruito said and the younger man nearly forgot to breathe, his lips parted slightly as he heard the other's sultry voice, smooth and provocative like a gentle caress on his violin strings.  
  


***  
  


3

The Playhouse Kindergarten  
  


"Here's the photo I mentioned," Akihiko showed Haruki his phone screen and the other man instantly gushed at the picture of Ritsuka and Mafuyu wearing origami hats they folded by themselves a few days ago. It had been a while since the two single fathers picked up their sons at a similar time again, meeting at the school entrance by coincidence, their eyes locking to each other for a couple of awkward seconds. Haruki thought Akihiko seemed a little taller the last time he saw the man and only noticed that day he had subtly green eyes. Both of them had arrived in time for dismissal, ten minutes before the handbell announced the end of classes and for the kids to stream out of the corridors just as usual.

Biding their time outside, Haruki had little butterflies in his stomach when Akihiko joined him at a picnic table inside the premise, the main entrance of the school in clear view.

"That is too adorable," he complimented at the photo on Akihiko's screen, slightly wishing he had a copy of it for himself. He wanted to ask if it would be possible but thought twice, wondering if he might sound too direct or obnoxious and make a bad impression to the attractively composed man, or sound needy or clingy or insensitive that would ruin the rest of his image and…

"Want me to send you the pic?"

Haruki gawked, catching his breath, the butterflies in his stomach had suddenly turned to frantic bumblebees zooming around in his gut. "U-Uh, yes, sure!" he acquiesced, also bringing out his phone.

After the two exchanged their LINE IDs, Akihiko sent him the photo and Haruki immediately stashed it to his photo gallery, ignoring the bees and butterflies flying amok in the pit of his stomach.  
  
  


Central Neighborhood  
  


The time read 5:30 p.m. on Haruki's computer as he crunched sentence after sentence until he formed a short paragraph in his work document. Dinner hour for him and Mafuyu was quickly approaching, prompting him to lean back in his seat and think about what meal to prepare as he stared at his laptop screen.

"When can we see the new puppy again?" Mafuyu asked behind him at their low coffee table where he was drawing.

Haruki set down his working eyeglasses beside the printer-scanner and faced his little boy doodling on the backside of an old discarded manuscript. "Soon, little guy. Count three more days and it's weekend," he smiled at the four-legged blobby creatures Mafuyu was drawing, discerning they were animals like cats or dogs. "Yoshida-kun said you gave him a name."

Mafuyu quietly nodded that swayed his copper hair. "Kedama," he said in his soft-spoken voice, eyes fixated on the mini tray of crayons at his side. He picked a blue-green one and added two dots on the black four-legged blob for eyes that vaguely resembled a cat, then went for an orange to put a nose, whiskers, and finally an angled mouth. "This is Ritsuka. We were friends today."

Haruki snorted. "Why does he look… angry?"

"He always has this pouty face and it gets poutier when I follow him." 

"Why do you like following Ritsuka-chan?"

The boy rubbed his little nose. "'Cause he also likes to sleep in the morning and he finds nice sleeping places and sometimes he doesn't want to play so I sit beside him a lot and he doesn't mind."

"You enjoy keeping him company?" Haruki asked as his phone pinged with a new notification. His boy nodded again in response, working on a brown cat-like shape next to the black one.

'Ritsuka ate the peppers in his bento today, btw. Your tip worked,' the LINE message said and Haruki nearly fell off from his own chair. It was from Akihiko, the single parent of Mafuyu's friend. He immediately buried his face into his hands to hide his rose-tinted face while his small one only tilted his head at him, one hand busy coloring a puppy-like creature on his paper. 

"Dad, are you okay?" 

Haruki typed 'No problem' and pressed send. "Yep, everything's fine," he said, thinking it was another weekday tomorrow. Another school day followed by another dismissal to pick up his kid. Another chance to meet the mysteriously green-eyed man who had just messaged him so casually named Kaji Akihiko.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Credit goes to the original authors of the haikus.  
> \- "None But the Lonely Heart" [here](https://youtu.be/7PtIHBCuR-Q).  
> \- The viola-violin duet piece, better appreciated when watched in a live perf like [here](https://youtu.be/nnOoAnLL7vY).


	4. Chapter 4

Late May  
  


1

Central Neighborhood  
  


The chain swing squeaked as Nakayama shifted his legs in his seat to lightly rock himself to and fro, meanwhile Akihiko ignored the temptation to catch the other man's soft-looking hair sway in graceful motions. Several yards before them was the playground double slide with a bottom crawling tunnel connected by a rope bridge; the preferred area of Mafuyu and Ritsuka for adventures and treasure hunting that weekend morning.

"Mafuyu has gotten livelier lately, and I think I have to thank Ritsuka-chan for that," Nakayama said, keeping an eye on the two boys take turns on the lower slide. The two parents could faintly hear a 'Look out, here comes the monster! Quick, we have to escape!' from the darker-haired boy, followed by a soft-spoken 'Oh noooo' from his playmate.

"He can be a handful sometimes," Akihiko answered. "I'm not even sure why I let him get hyper when I can barely catch up to him myself."

Nakayama chuckled, still swinging himself gently back and forth with the ease of his heels. He was sporting a messy bun hairstyle that day with some loose locks on one side of his face. "I'm glad you do though," he replied with a smile. "It took a while even for me to get a few words from Mafuyu before. But that's what kept me going, I guess."

"Was it just the two of you from the start?"

"Yeah," the man said, the creaking sound of the metal axles now gone. "My partner before, we already had plans. Then things didn't work out and we went our own ways. But I still wanted to make it happen, even though it was just by myself. I went over it for a couple of years while working, until the folks introduced me to Mafuyu. They gave a little background about his previous family and how it related to his quietness compared to the other candidates," Nakayama spoke, a slight melancholy in his tone. "One time I was visiting, he bumped into my leg and he fell. Then he said 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Won't do again' and he was already close to tears. I knew right then and there that I _had_ to see this boy grow up with a smile on his face, not sad or crying or apologizing for something that wasn't even wrong."

Akihiko watched his son dash to another section of the playground with the copper-haired boy trailing behind him; the gleam in their eyes seeing a different world from what he and Nakayama were sitting in. "And now he's playing pirate ship in the jungle gym," he said with a shy poke at his heart seeing Mafuyu giggle as Ritsuka wielded a pretend-sword to ward off an imaginary enemy.

Nakayama glanced at him from his swing seat, his hands folded with splayed fingers in light contemplation. The amber shade of his eyes almost jewel-like under the patches of sunlight filtering through the trees. "Does Ritsuka-chan ask you questions sometimes?"

Akihiko stretched his legs before him in the dirt, their length a noticeable comparison to the other's shorter height. "He has, especially when he was younger. Nowadays, not so much. He's thinking more about playing and looking for ways to entertain himself. When he's bored, he rummages through our music collection and I've caught him more than once playing air guitar on the couch," he noticed the other man smile fondly in his periphery. "One I remember was when he asked my late wife if we would 'get a replacement' if we didn’t 'like him enough'. And of course, she said that wasn't how it worked, and that we love him a lot. After losing her to an accident, it got trickier explaining things to him by myself and he was still so small. I think he even _knows_ that I struggle sometimes and just avoids asking in the first place." He met Nakayama's gaze but after a few seconds, the other parent broke their eye contact with a bite of his lip, focusing away from Akihiko's direction.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your loss," he said gently, eyes downcast in silent concern.

"Sympathy accepted," Akihiko replied, slowly unraveling a knot in his chest. "When Rikka was understanding things better, he'd come up with these random questions about her but not feel sad anymore. And it baffles me a lot how resilient his young mind can be, even when I'm fumbling how to explain things to him in a simple way."

"Makes you wonder if you're really a grown-up, doesn't it?"

The taller man sighed and looked upward where a jet was flying by, drawing a clean white line across a chalkboard of blue sky. "Oh you bet," Akihiko said, noting how the clouds made playful shapes of animals that day.

"Dad, look! No hands!" Ritsuka called out, sitting on the second tier of the jungle gym as though he was on a kingly throne.

"Easy there, Your Majesty! Don't fall into the Moat of Doom!" he hollered in return and Nakayama laughed alongside him. "Ah, you have a thing on your leg."

The other man checked his clothes and noticed a dangling thread along the seam of his pants, cheeks shaded pink. "Oh," he said in embarrassment and Akihiko thought it was strangely pleasant to see and rather… _cute_ , but kept the idea to himself.  
  
  


Shimokitazawa District  
  


"Uuuuugh, _another_ grocery trip? AGAIN?!" Ritsuka whined as he dragged his feet, falling behind his father as they walked hand-in-hand along Shimokitazawa District. His mouth was back to the familiar frown whenever he was displeased but had no other choice but to follow Akihiko's orders. It was now nearing lunch after their playtime at the park and Akihiko and Ritsuka wrapped up their weekend morning with Nakayama and his son Mafuyu, parting ways with their own agendas for the afternoon.

"What, this is our first shopping trip this week, Bud," the parent continued his walking pace, leading his reluctant 5-year-old to his favorite local supermarket that had generous reduced-priced items every Saturday. "Come on, we can pass by the arcade again and—" he paused in his step as Ritsuka stood not moving in his spot. Akihiko realized they were at the front of a music instrument shop and saw his boy staring at the window display of polished electric guitars on a rack. "Rikka?"

"I wanna learn how to play the guitar when I grow up," Ritsuka ogled at the shop window, his tightened grip a mere pinch in his father's larger hand.

Akihiko surveyed the instruments on display, the shop owner from the counter already giving him a welcoming smile. "Yeah?"

"You can play drums and guitar and bass _and_ even violin once with Ugetsu-niichan! I only want to play _one_ , Dad."

"Okay, okay. I'm not complaining," Akihiko showed his palms in surrender to his own child. The old shop owner gave him a playful wink and the tall man tittered in return. "Want to look around in there after we get our errands done?"

Ritsuka's eyes instantly shone stars as he flashed a wide grin to his father, his plump cheeks bunching up to his cheekbones. "Yes please!" he chirped, swaying excitedly on the balls and heels of his tiny feet, now eager for Akihiko to take him for their usual weekly shopping.  
  


***  
  


2

Suzuran Café  
  


There was only a small crowd during his work shift the following morning and Haruki found more idle time than he would have preferred. Thankfully one frequent customer was keeping him preoccupied at the counter, patiently listening to him share some recent events he had to vent out to a fellow adult who was _not_ Kaji Akihiko.

"…And then next thing I knew we were exchanging our LINE, Take-chan!"

His best friend merely rested his chin on his folded hands on the table akin to a scheming mastermind in his thinking chair. "Gotta give him credit," he said in wary approval, his chilled beverage already half-empty on a Suzuran drink coaster. "He also took one under his wing, huh. Well, your two kids get along, that's enough of an icebreaker already for both of you."

"We're not even sure if he's _that_ way and I feel sixteen all over again rambling about this." Haruki tried not to ruin his neatly tied hair. "My second draft is due by the end of the month but every time I hear a ping from my phone I practically jump on it."

"What stuff does he message you about?"

"Er, stuff. Random stuff? Like asking bento tips or mentioning the new gelato place at Haramachida… probably for the little ones."

Kouji slowly stirred his decaffeinated drink. " _Sure_. For the little ones," he said in a dull tone. "Oh wait, the one at Lumine mall? I just have to share something. Remember Hanaoka-san from university?"

Haruki blinked, lining the on-hand sugar packets and wooden stirrers in the tray compartment behind the counter. "Yeah."

"He contacted the other day. He and Tsubaki-san are tying the knot later this year. They actually run Motekawa Salon at that mall."

"Heeeh, that's great! Those hair-styling tutorial videos he made back then got really popular it's ridiculous. Aaah, it's been a while since I've gotten this trimmed, now that you've mentioned it," the blonde man referred to his own hair, its length already reaching below his shoulders if he left it undone.

"Mafuyu had rolled over it plenty of times while you were asleep, he got glue on it one time, sometimes it would get in his face, aaand you've burned it more than thrice with your own lighter," Kouji enumerated for his friend.

In the middle of their talk, the younger staff Ueki passed behind Haruki to hang a new chalkboard menu near the dessert display case, a neat list of items in varied lettering with a cute doodle of a smiling character on the lower right corner.

"Why is there a blonde girl this time?" the senior staff pointed to the little drawing made by their other co-worker.

"Waka-chan drew it. She said it's Haruki-san." Ueki shrugged and quietly excused himself back to the staff room.

Kouji nearly choked while finishing his drink and the café bartender tried his best not glare at his loyal customer while on-duty. The door chime rang to announce a new guest and Haruki walked by the counter with a bitter grin. "Fine, point taken," he said to his friend and simply went on with his work.  
  
  


Central Neighborhood  
  


The way Mafuyu sadly picked up his carrots and potatoes with his mini chopsticks sank Haruki's heart, seeing his boy eating with no appetite that evening in their apartment. "Hey, Small Tiger. What's up? Feeling under the weather tonight?"

Mafuyu didn’t even look up from their dinner table and shoved a small amount of rice into his mouth. "Yuki-niichan wasn't at the shelter today," he pouted after swallowing his food. "Where did he go?"

Haruki set down his own chopsticks to wipe a grain of rice off Mafuyu's chin. "He had some errands to do, remember what Itaya-niichan said?"

"Waffles finally went to her new home but Yuki-niichan wasn't there to see her off. What if she was looking for him to say goodbye?" his bottom lip quivered. The boy shuffled his feet in his chair; a habit that told his father he was struggling to speak about his bottled-up feelings.

"You saw her waggy tail, that's her way of saying thank you, including Yuki-niichan even if he wasn't there," Haruki gently patted the boy's hair. "Her new family is suuuper excited to give her lots of love and playtime and that's what Yuki-niichan also wants for her; that she'll always be happy!"

Mafuyu reached for his drinking cup with two hands and took a sip, not spilling anything on his shirt. "Will all the animals get a nice home too like Waffles?"

Haruki gave him a little smile, hoping his son will also smile back. "That's why we're helping them," he said in a gentle encouraging tone. 

"I wish they will all get a nice place," Mafuyu finally looked at him, clear brown orbs full of simple innocent hope.

"Me too, Little Hero," his father replied and quietly went back to his meal. 

"Then can we get one of them to live with us?"

The parent nearly dropped the piece of fish he was about to put in his mouth, his son's words catching him off-guard. "Heh?!"

"When I'm at school or when you work late, you have someone to play with," the boy said as though it was the most obvious reason in the universe. 

"W-Wait a sec, we don't even have the right space for a pet!" 

Mafuyu didn't seem to hear him, fixated on his food. The boy noticed he had the last two baby corn in his rice bowl while his father had none. He took one piece with his mini chopsticks and placed it on Haruki's vegetable plate, a tiny smile on his face at last. "He's only small and he's quiet. He licks you a lot, Yuki-niichan says he loves you."

"Hah?? Which one are you talking about?"

"Kedama," Mafuyu answered with an upward curl of his mouth, carefully chewing his food.

Raising a pup in their apartment had never crossed his mind and Haruki already dreaded what possible chaos it would entail for him in their own house. The added responsibilities, chores, not to mention health care and proper training, all while managing Mafuyu, his own work, his part-time job, and maybe squeeze in his own life somewhere in between. Yet seeing his son's grinning face, he just sighed and filed the idea aside for later, savoring the sight of his boy eating happily again at least.  
  


***  
  


3

West Neighborhood  
  


Ugetsu flipped to the next page of the novel he was reading on the living room sofa, having predictions in his head how the protagonist was going to fix his dilemma by the end of the chapter. Meanwhile, on their kitchen counter, his husband was in a bubble of his own, focused on his laptop with a cup of his favorite organic tea.

"Which is more romantic: breakfast with a sunrise view of Florence or a secret garden overlooking Tuscany that looks gorgeous at sunset?" Ruito asked, the blue-white glare of the screen reflected on the lenses on his eyeglasses.

"What happened to 'off the beaten path' like you mentioned before? And we've already visited last year, not to mention your own separate trips," Ugetsu replied, glancing at his spouse. "How about you close your eyes over a map then when I say stop, wherever your finger points to, that's where we'll go."

"When we found that quiet restaurant in Rome last year, you said you wouldn't mind going for a second time, so…"

The teacher bookmarked his novel and placed it on the coffee table beside an ashtray. He joined Ruito by the counter and looked over his partner's shoulder. "True, I did say that. But now I'm also wondering if you've already crossed out other items in your travel bucket list. Say, Mediterranean coast," he suggested, browsing the computer screen that displayed several tabs on travel destinations, hotel accommodations, blog reviews, one forum, and a couple of odd Wikipedia pages. "You're planning an itinerary while reading threads about black hole theories on 2chan. Do you really want to honeymoon in outer space that bad?"

"It's an ode to Stephen Hawking's work! And _did you know_ there's a new black hole recently discovered called LB-1, it's eight times the size of the sun? Not as big as other black holes, but the _perplexing bit_ is its mass. 25 solar masses is the maximum scale scientists have so far, but _LB-1_ goes _way_ beyond that. Can you imagine this? The existence of this indescribably massive cosmic mystery we share the universe with? Just absolutely fascinating. But! Going back Earthly matters, I was thinking the same thing. Then again, given the time we have, it's really better for a summer-y vacation. Plus there's also the downside of the place getting too cramped during peak season and it might as well be a group tour which is neh."

Ugetsu made a displeased face, his mind in a swirl of galaxies, orbiting satellites, the planet Earth, and the minuscule people living in it; particularly two men residing in an archipelago called Japan who can't decide where to go on a two-week vacation. "And the next option on your list?"

Ruito eagerly showed him his draft document of several places around Europe with a particular historical theme and gave him puppy eyes.

The teacher puffed at his fringed bangs, its length already reaching his eyelashes. His partner brushed them away to the side, getting a better view of Ugetsu's slightly tired face.

"The salon I tried at Lumine had really great service, have I mentioned that before?" 

"No, I don't remember," Ugetsu said flatly, turning around and walking back to their living area. He grabbed his cigarette pack from his blazer jacket pocket on the sofa and made his way to their corridor towards the genkan. "Go wander in your black holes for a while. I'll be here on solid ground agonizing over my students' grades."

"Dinner will be ready in a few," Ruito called out to him, not moving from his bar stool in the kitchen.

"You can start without me," he merely said and closed the front door.

Akihiko offered him his lighter which he took gratefully after realizing he forgot his own back at the apartment. The quiet evening breeze was soothing to his conundrums; the glow of the vending machine a dull light that comforted to his mildly sour mood.

"He's the second person to tell me I need a haircut today," he told the man beside him who also had an identical cigarette between his lips.

"Isn't it mid-terms season?"

Ugetsu inhaled a satisfying puff of smoke, welcoming the familiar buzz of the nicotine entering his bloodstream. He eyed the particular lit windows of his apartment unit from where he was standing in the adjacent parking lot, two rectangles of light that told him Ruito was in there somewhere, exploring Earth-to-space adventures on his own. "You'd think I'd be excited to plan a vacation while I'm still not even done checking my students' papers." 

His friend shrugged, staying neutral to whatever Ugetsu and Ruito's tiny quibble was really about. "There's a new gelato place there though, near Lumine," Akihiko carefully veered off to another subject, sounding more chipper than his shorter comrade. "I was thinking if it's okay to try one weekend."

"With Ritsu?" He noticed the other man give him a quick side-glance.

"Yeah," the single father blinked, facing his own apartment complex; a lower one compared to Ugetsu's newer-looking building, eggshell white walls and a side staircase with a more middle-class façade.

"Liar." The teacher smirked, tipping his cigarette to the ashtray stand parked in between him and his friend. 

"It's supposed to be _subtle_ ," Akihiko said in a peeved tone, blowing his puff of smoke away from the other's direction.

"What if he says no? What if he doesn't swing that way?"

"Thanks, you're very helpful."

The man smiled to himself; a twisted enjoyment of seeing his typically suave friend run around in circles in his head. "You can't even address him casually yet. How will that make it less awkward?" he spoke directly. "Even Ritsuka knows it's a chore to pronounce. Follow your kid's lead."

"You _clearly_ have no idea how kind he is in person. He volunteers at an animal shelter at least thrice a week and carries candy with him all the time. I bet cussing isn't even included in his vocabulary."

"Sounds like you've met an angel," Ugetsu cooed mockingly and Akihiko wrinkled his nose in annoyance. "What secret deeds have you been up to, sly devil?"

"I just want to take him out for ice cream and _I'm_ the bad guy, really?" The other man pointed to himself in disbelief.

There was a tiny echo in the open parking lot when Ugetsu laughed; some of his cigarette ash falling on the cement ground. "You'd be surprised how big of a difference a first name makes in the long run. It didn't take long for you to switch to Rui's first name back then, same with our other common friends."

"This is _different_."

"Let's say it's 'raising the ante' to put a name on it. You mentioned before that he's not getting your hints and I find it quite unusual that my naturally sweet-talker friend is _struggling_ to finesse someone he's attracted to," he opined honestly as his phone vibrated in his back pocket.

'Dinner is getting cold :<' the message read, the teacher practically hearing Ruito's voice in his head. Speaking of attraction, his spouse reminded him he had a certain someone waiting for him as well back in their apartment, his previously sour mood long gone. He simply typed '2 mins' and pressed send, stubbing his cigarette in the ashtray stand with a growing curl on his lips.

"Aww, Papa Ruito says it's feeding time," Akihiko said in a dopey voice as he finished his own stick.

Ugetsu fought the urge to kick the taller man's shin and swept away the bangs getting in his eyes. "And I don't have to worry about getting a date," he quipped without batting an eyelash, his words dripping with venom. His friend gave him a cheeky grin which he returned with a teasing raise of his eyebrow. The two men parted ways to their own buildings, letting the evening breeze cool and soothe each of their conundrums.

Left behind was the glow of the single vending machine in the open parking lot; a quiet oasis in the wide gravel-covered space. The coin slot was its keen ear, the take-out port its unbiased mouth, the monotonous hum of its internal machine and display lights its mere signs of life; observing mundane humans in all their amusingly simple complexities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The LB-1 black hole. Discovered only last month (around last days of November 2019) by Chinese astronomers. Found in the constellation of Gemini.


	5. Chapter 5

Summer

Mid-June  
  


1

Central Neighborhood  
  


"Don't let go of each other's hand, okay?" Haruki called out to Mafuyu and Ristuka who were walking ahead of him, while his own hands were currently full of last-minute groceries from his favorite local supermarket. His usual shopping trips were Mondays, Thursdays, and a weekend but there was an unexpected occasion that day which involved having two guests in his house. After getting a message from Ritsuka's father the previous night, Haruki was more than willing to help out the fellow single parent, volunteering to pick up his son with Mafuyu that afternoon from school.

"How will my dad know where to go after his work?" Ritsuka asked him, holding Mafuyu's hand with a playful swing of his arm. "What if he gets lost?"

"After his work, he can give a call and he also has the address," Haruki assured him. The boy was wearing a backward baseball cap that matched his eyes, his yellow sock on the left leg higher than the one on his right. "Your dad will be fine."

"Okay," Ritsuka answered, sounding quite comfortable with the idea of visiting another person's house for the first time all by himself. "One time in the mall, he got lost and I found him beside a guard person and he looked like he was about cry."

Haruki sputtered as they reached the edge of the sidewalk, ready to cross the street to a quiet neighborhood. "Y-Your papa got lost?" He gave a humored look, waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green. Mafuyu merely watched the passing vehicles on the road, his attention elsewhere until Ritsuka gently tugged at his arm. 

"Yeah. I was just there by the fountain hiding in the plants and then when I surprised him, he got mad!"

The parent chuckled, the mental image of the 6-footer man panicking in a mall and ending up being pranked by his own child. The traffic light finally switched colors and Haruki lead the way across the street, hands full of groceries while the two boys tailed close behind him like a pair of tiny ducklings. As calm as he seemed, he could hardly feel the ground he was walking on; the reality of his not-so-obvious growing crush a persistent itch in his heart that he was worried to scratch. Yet there he was, looking after Kaji Akihiko's son for the rest of the day, not to mention the man himself arriving at his own house by early evening. Haruki reminded himself _not_ to scream later on when the doorbell rings and _must_ say 'Welcome!' to the person instead of 'Welcome home!'

"What will we eat for dinner?" Mafuyu asked, one hand playing with the chunky button of his red overalls. The afternoon sun shone a halo on his copper brown hair that swayed in the faint breeze.

Haruki smiled at him, wishing he could pat his son's head. "How does pasta sound?" he offered, and the boy's face lit up with a bright grin.

An aged couple was walking by in their opposite direction and Ritsuka greeted them politely with a little bow. Mafuyu noticed and followed his lead, and did the same thing. It was an endearing sight as the two seniors looked delighted when they saw the two boys with proper manners; meanwhile, Haruki was fawning himself at the elder pair, silently wondering if he would also find a partner one day to grow old with.

"Why is your papa holding two sticks?" Mafuyu asked beside Ritsuka; the two boys currently preoccupied at the coffee table drawing pictures with a tray of coloring materials in between them. On his working nook, Haruki busied himself proofreading the new chapter of his novel, nitpicking his own writing for possible improvements. 

"'Cause he uses it to play drums. It's really loud like DONDONDON! And PASHAPASHAPASHA! Then he hits the shiny metal thinggy and it goes BWAHHH~!!" Ritsuka enthused with animated hand movements then grabbed a green crayon to color the eyes of the 'Papa'-shaped drawing on his paper.

"Ohhh," his son sounded impressed, then pointed at the smaller person-like shape next to it. "And this one is Ritsuka?"

"Yep! I'm the one with the guitar. Dad started teaching me how to play."

"Wooow..."

From his chair, Haruki pleasantly watched the two boys making use of his tall stack of scratch papers. Hearing Ritsuka mention music and playing an instrument reminded him of his own college days, doing underground gigs and standing on a cramped stage. "You want to play in a band?" he asked and Ristuka looked as if he had heard a magic word.

"I want to! I want to!" The boy beamed at him. "Then I can play at a concert like The Beatles and stuff!"

"Beetle? The… bug?" Mafuyu stared at him clueless.

"No, a band! See this," his playmate said, showing him his drawings. "This is me on guitar, dad is the drums, then uh… Mafuyu can be the other guitar and your papa can do the bass. A band!"

"But I don't know how to play guitar." The other boy blinked. "Teach me?" 

The sound of a ping distracted Haruki for a moment. He grabbed his phone to check his notification, reading a message from his close friend.

'Nabbed a beach house stay for summer break. Not on purpose, swear. Wanna give it a go?'

Haruki stared at his open laptop screen with a sigh, mentally skimming through his deadlines for the rest of summer. 'Not going solo with Yayoi-san?'

'It fits 8 people,' Kouji replied promptly. 'Bring a friend 😉'

The single father snorted at the emoji. 'You and your generous clients,' he typed, taking note of the current time. It was already 5 p.m. and his heartbeat hastened, knowing Ritsuka's father would be arriving soon. 'If the first revision is done by end of July. I'll update you,' he said, thinking he might not even get much progress on his work that week. How could he even manage to find a companion to bring along on a beach trip during summer break when all he had at the moment were two kids in his house, a kitchen with unloaded groceries for pasta, and his crush showing up in an hour or two? Haruki suddenly paused, his ears feeling warm as he stared the winking emoticon sent by his best friend; a seemingly unsuspecting happy face that hid a cunning bait.

'Copy that,' Kouji answered casually, completely unaware that the parent couldn't even move from his seat.  
  


***  
  


2

Main Tokyo  
  


Akihiko gripped the small paper bag more firmly in hand; inside was a polka-dot cardboard box that held four small cakes that needed to be handled delicately. "Haruki?" he said over his phone call, the name still a little foreign to his ears but loved how it easily rolled off his tongue. "I'm at the train station now." 

"I see, okay. We'll be right here," the other man's voice sounded a pitch higher over the phone and Akihiko wanted to melt from too much cute.

"I bought a present. Something to contribute for dinner," he stood a few steps away from his train platform. The overhead marquee read the next train was due in less than half a minute. "And for doing this favor in general."

"Ahhh, that's very thoughtful. It's really no biggie, Ritsuka and Mafuyu are getting along fine!" 

Akihiko could pretty much hear Haruki's smile from the other end of the call, his heartbeat skipping as he wondered what the other man was currently up to with two playful boys in his apartment. "I hope he's not too much to handle."

"He's behaved, really. It's all under control, no worries."

"I'll make it up to you somehow," he blurted, not knowing how _that_ suddenly slipped out of his mouth. Akihiko wished he was a chameleon and just blended-in with the subway wall to hide his warming face.

"You're being too stiff, it's making me worried," Haruki lightly jested, his voice a relaxing sound amidst the noise of the work-worn crowd gathering at the platform around him.

"Must be from the meeting, my bad. Oh, the ride is here. I'll see you three in a bit," Akihiko heard the familiar thrum on the tracks that indicated the incoming train. 

"Nnn. Take care," the other parent replied, his tone almost loving as though saying it as more than a kind friend.  
  
  


Central Neighborhood, Machida  
  


"Pardon the intrusion," he said, stepping into Haruki's genkan. The other man greeted him wearing a pair of eyeglasses and a loose bun held by a hairpin, his V-neck shirt and casual jeans a laid-back ensemble to tolerate the growing summer heat. There was a faint waft of food coming from within the room, whetting Akihiko's appetite after a tiring business meeting, the sight of someone welcoming him after a busy day a familial sensation he wished to have more often.

"Make yourself at home. You arrived just in time," the other man grinned and Akihiko settled his leather shoes beside Ritsuka's Converse on the shoe rack. "They helped with making dinner."

He paused and gawked at Haruki in bewilderment, dreading to know if the man's kitchen was still in one piece. "No way," he said, incredulous at the thought but the fellow parent nodded at him knowingly.

"A couple of things here and there," the shorter blonde spoke, leading him through the small hallway to the main space of the apartment. In the living area, Akihiko found two boys doing acrobatic exhibitions on the hardwood floor with the help of some cushions and throw pillows, his own son Ritsuka bent over at the waist holding on to his ankles.

"Hi!" his boy greeted him, head upside-down peeking between his legs.

"Good evening," his playmate Mafuyu chimed in while starfished on his stomach on a large cushion.

"Okay, yoga class is over now," Akihiko told his boy and Ritsuka tumble-turned on a pillow that made Mafuyu laugh.

"We were waiting for you," Ritsuka said, immediately fixated on the paper bag his father was holding. "Is that I what I think it is?!" he finally stood upright on his feet while his smaller friend sat cross-legged on his pillow.

"Your papa knew you two behaved today," Haruki supplied as he grabbed four pairs of chopsticks from the utensil drawer to complete the dinner spread on the table; four dishes, two adult drinking glasses and two shorter plastic tumblers (one red and one blue), four soup bowls, two side dish platters of karaage and stir-fried vegetables, then a serving bowl of steaming tomato cream pasta as the center of the presentation. "You boys hungry?" he called to the two children, removing his eyeglasses then tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear.

Akihiko couldn't believe his eyes as Ritsuka and Mafuyu swiftly tossed back their pillows and cushions in their proper places on the sofa and made a beeline for the kitchen sink to wash their hands, balancing on the children's step stool side by side.

"Here, let's chill those for a bit while we eat," Haruki offered and Akihiko quietly passed him the box of sweets. "Please, don't be shy. It's just the four of us here," he gestured to a seat at the table.

Truth be told, Akihiko was already holding back not to cry at the sight before him; a warm homemade dinner at the table, his own boy being obedient along with his new friend, the cozy presence of Haruki in the room with a charming pin in his hair. His pending business agendas were but a mere task he could worry about later; his mind pleading for a falling star he could wish upon and ask the heavens for this comforting feeling for the rest of his life.

"I sit here," he heard Mafuyu's voice and Ritsuka took his own spot at the opposite side of the table. Haruki helped the two to their chairs, the surface of the table reaching their shoulders with the help of two cushions on their seats.

Akihiko finally joined them at the dining area, taking the empty chair that faced Haruki at the other end, the other man's cheeks a rosy pink under the fluorescent light fixture. The parent clasped his hands and the other three followed, his gaze at Akihiko's eyes strangely shy as though he was in a different home.

" _Itadakimasu_ ," he said with Haruki, the blend of their voices a new sound Akihiko wanted to get used to in wishful thinking. _'One day, maybe,'_ he hoped. Their two sons followed their lead; a higher-pitched version of their phrase, eager to help themselves to the aromatic food in front of them.

The creamy taste of the pasta was a perfect match to the saltiness of the vegetables, and Akihiko's taste buds sang in chorus as he savored each bite of his food. In their seats, Ritsuka and Mafuyu also tucked-in to their meal with bright expressions on their faces, their cheeks bunching up as they chewed.

"This is yummy," his son commented, the left corner of his mouth with a tiny stain of pasta sauce.

Haruki smiled at him while munching on his vegetable and his own boy Mafuyu nodded in agreement, mouth full with karaage.

"How is it, um… A-Akihiko," the man asked him, the 4-syllable name still awkward in his mouth.

He picked a sliced carrot in his dish with his chopsticks, the vegetable cut in a kiddie pentacle shape. "A perfect star," the parent told Haruki with a curl of his lips, seeing the view of the night sky behind the man; a vast sheet of wondrous black, dotted with twinkling specks of light.  
  


***  
  


July  
  


3

West Neighborhood  
  


Giant pink, blue, orange, and yellow fukinagashi hung in colorful array from the ceiling at the Lumine mall lobby; crafted paper flower balls the height of a small child, its streamers moving in fluid waves at the bottom resembling Orihime's dress in the legend of Tanabata. It was now midsummer and the Star Festival was the latest event celebrated by tradition, but stress-ridden Ugetsu was mulling over less festive things instead. Term-end exams had just finished, which meant parent-teacher day was soon approaching; the tedious process of evaluating each of his students with his fellow teachers and discussing them to parents or guardians for hours on end. To add to his mentally drained mood, Ruito was also absent for work, leaving him companion-less in their apartment with only his violin to talk to.

'Motekawa S.', the signage said in chic font over the entrance of the establishment; its glass walls lined with a fancy jalousie divider that gave a peek of the people inside the salon.

"Welcome," the desk clerk greeted him with a respectful bow and Ugetsu gave her his appointment details and was led further inside the room.

"Haru-tan, it's been _ages_ and this is your idea of bonding time? I still remember how I used to Dutch braid these lovelies back in college!" he overheard the hairdresser say in friendly nature to his customer at a different station behind his back. Their reflection on his mirror gave him a view of a man almost around his age or a bit older, hands expertly styling his customer's fluffy-looking honey blonde hair. On the floor around them was a rather thick mound of discarded tresses that told Ugetsu the person previously had a longer mane. Now it was snipped short enough that exposed their neck; the new style much simpler and, he guessed, less troubling to maintain and handle.

"Let's begin, shall we?" his female hairdresser Tsubaki said, one hand ready to trim away the overgrown locks from his face. 

"Don't tell me, is it a broken heart? Forbidden love?! Someone snatched Haru-tan's heart, crushed it to bits and scattered it to the heavens that turned into stars like the tears of Orihime and Hikoboshi!" 

"No no, not anything like that, Hanaoka-san!" the person called 'Haru-tan' said, and Ugetsu realized the blonde customer was actually another man. "It was really Take-chan who gave me the idea. One time he dropped by last month, he mentioned this place and uh… he also told me about the big news? Congratulations, senpai."

The hairdresser gave him one last check in the mirror and gave him an 'OK' hand signal, then led his friend to the main desk for the rest of their casual conversation.

'I'll just be outside. Rikka's at our neighbor's place.' he read Akihiko's message on his phone as Tsubaki continued to work on his hair. Her hands skillfully poised with her thinning shears as his dark locks began to look more shapely, his bangs now hardly a bother to his eyes.

'20 mins or less,' he replied, thankful that his friend was quick on his feet to meet up with him than having a boring night of solitude in his apartment. There was no more response from Akihiko afterward and Ugetsu guessed the man's head was already adrift somewhere else. Right on his guess, Tsubaki finished her work in almost fifteen minutes, his usual mop of hair more kempt with still a stylish tousled look. He gave her a nod of approval and the woman responded with a courteous bow. After finishing his dues at the front desk, he already saw Akihiko's vague form between the jalousie dividers right outside the salon, exactly as his message had said. He exited Motekawa feeling fresh and light, ready to look for a dinner spot with his friend but found the man talking to a familiar-looking stranger with a rare dusting of pink on his cheeks.

"Aki." He approached them, the taller one acting a bit flustered as he locked gazes with Ugetsu. "A friend?"

"Y-Yeah," Akihiko answered in between him and the rather friendly-looking 'Haru-tan'. "This is Haruki," he introduced the man and the person bowed to him with a pleasant smile.

"My neighbor, Ugetsu."

He narrowed his eyes at Akihiko.

"Murata Ugetsu. A close friend since high school. He teaches literature and can also play the violin," his friend added hastily. "We're supposed to grab dinner after this and uh…"

"Wanna come with?" he finished the rest of Akihiko's sentence, ignoring his friend's startled expression.

Haruki's toffee shaded eyes nearly mirrored the speechless man's subtle green orbs. "Well…" he glanced back and forth between him and Akihiko. "Why not. Mafuyu is staying at a friend's house anyway," he finally said, his layered hair gently swaying like the fukinagashi streamers at the mall lobby.

"Have you tried the German beer place on the 5th floor, Haruki-san?" he asked, leading his two companions after the escalator to the dining district of the mall. "Akihiko loves the meat selection at that place. He's an unrestrained carnivore ever since high school," Ugetsu referred to his taller friend behind him.

"Only passing by." Haruki glanced at Akihiko with a small tug at the corner of his mouth. "It seems a good place for a bigger crowd."

"A fair assumption," Ugetsu led them around a corner while Akihiko and Haruki walked behind him side by side. "It does have a livelier atmosphere rather than, say, a private romantic date." They passed by a department store and a couple of clothing boutiques, their window displays in colorful celebration of Tanabata; some with hanging paper cranes or paper cut-outs of stars and other charming origami handiwork. "Still, it's up to the couple's taste. Nothing wrong with a little intimacy right off the bat. But from a unique standpoint, this joint makes a rather enticing place to let loose more naturally, don't you think? Get to know each other better past the formalities," he peered at the two men following him behind his shoulder, his newly trimmed bangs no longer obstructing his view.

The front of the restaurant showed a modern pub façade with clear windows that showed-off the interior; brick walls and industrial light fixtures, tables with merry-looking diners clinking their beer glasses and tucking-in to their gourmet food. Ugetsu was greeted with a smile by the staff at the door and was ready to ask for a table for three, but then he heard a female voice behind his back, calling out to Akihiko's peer.

"Oh, it's Haruki-san."

He turned around to see a couple paused beside his two familiars, also facing the direction of the pub. The woman had jet black hair with a fresh face, clinging to the arm of her taller partner with an undercut and wearing a pair of dark-rimmed eyeglasses.

"Ehhh! Take-chan?!" Haruki exclaimed at them.

"At last, you cut your hair!" the anonymous man cried.

He glanced at Akihiko who only blinked confusedly in return and Ugetsu pardoned himself for making the restaurant staff wait for his words.

"Table for five, please," he said, entering the restaurant; the comforting sound of vibrant life and savory aroma of good food and drinks already picking up his larking mood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Random plug: The ending of segment 3 was guided by [this](https://youtu.be/Wxu02vp_Vm0) fun song by Two Door Cinema Club.  
> 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Mild smut implications in this chapter.

Summer Break  
  


1

Central Neighborhood  
  


Yuki plucked his mini string instrument to end his original song, strumming the final chords with an extra dramatic swish of his arm. "Thank you, thank you!" he bowed humbly to his make-believe audience in the staff room; the sound of one pair of clapping hands belonging to his sole 5-year-old supporter named Mafuyu. 

"Again, again," the boy enthused on a plastic kiddie chair, beside him was a shoulder carrier with Kedama wagging his tail inside the pet-friendly bag. The little pup seemed to enjoy Yuki's merry song, as though understanding the lyrics that Yuki had composed on-the-spot especially for him. It was a special day for the white Pomeranian after all, not to mention for Mafuyu as well. "Do another one? Play the baby guitar again."

The high school teen took his seat on the office chair at the computer desk, giving Mafuyu a mock unsatisfied look. "It's a _ukulele_ ," he corrected and the boy burst into a fit of giggles, giving him a peek of the child's row of white milk teeth. "What. What's so funny?"

"Weird sound." Mafuyu fidgeted in his little chair, his excitement obvious that certain afternoon while his father finished some quick paperwork in the adjacent office room. The smile on his face was too contagious that made Yuki want to dilly-dally with the two for the rest of the day, if only he had more leisure time as a graduating high school student on his summer break.

"Oh yeah? Say it." He propped the guitar on his lap.

"Yuki-lele."

He made an annoyed face. "Oy," he warned Mafuyu, but the younger one merely blinked innocently at him. "It's _u-ku-le-le_ ," he enunciated each syllable as clearly as he could to the child.

"Yuki-lele," the little one repeated.

"Come here, you." He stood from his seat, his hands ready to grab his prey before Mafuyu could even run away from his kiddie chair. He caught the laughing boy in his arms and started poking playfully around his little friend's stomach and armpits, tickling the other with no mercy. Kedama yipped in his carrier, watching the two boys having boisterous fun inside the common staff room; the teenager wishing time would slow down before attending his cram school in a few hours. 

"H-How.. How long did Yuki-niichan learn to play guitar?" the boy asked after catching his breath as he sat cross-legged on the floor, happily exhausted from laughing with his older friend who now sat beside him.

"Some years, kiddo. Why? You also want to learn some music?" Yuki ruffled Mafuyu's messy hair and chuckled when a lock of hair pointed upward on top of the boy's head.

Mafuyu nodded at him with his clear brown eyes while the teen combed down the boy's disheveled hair and gave it a gentle pat. "Ritsuka also knows how to play, his papa is teaching him. And Yuki-niichan can do it too. Only I don't know how to play," the boy said with a pout, shoulders dropping in dejection.

"Wait, who's Ritsuka?"

"My friend at school," the little one answered.

Seeing the younger one in a sudden changed mood, Yuki stood up and helped Mafuyu to his feet, guiding his smaller friend to take a comfy seat on the big office chair. "Here, try it." He eased the guitar properly on Mafuyu's lap while he crouched beside him. "Hold it here to support the neck. Then this the part where you strum," he patted near the soundhole of the ukulele, the boy following his gentle instructions.

"It's really light," the boy said in plain wonder.

"It is, isn't it? Now I'm going to move these tiny guys over here..." Yuki carefully arranged Mafuyu's digits on the fretboard; a simple chord that wasn't too difficult to reach with the little man's three short fingers. "This is E minor. Go on, give it a whirl." He smiled and watched his friend's other hand brush over the strings hesitantly with a rough twang. "Nice job, sprout."

Mafuyu's eyes sparkled in pure amazement as he strummed his first chord. Yuki gave him an encouraging nod but noticed the boy had a slight uneasiness forming in his expression. "Will it take forever for me to be as good as Yuki-niichan?" he began, and the teen looked at him in concern. "Ritsuka said he wanted to make a band like a beetle and I have to be good too so I can play with him. What if I can't catch up?"

Yuki sighed and stared endearingly at Mafuyu's sad face, hoping for the other to smile again. "Naw, don't look at it that way, buddy. It's not a race, okay? Everybody learns at their own time. Even if you start learning a little later doesn't mean you can't be good at it, trust me. I also have a friend, he's the drummer of a band I play in, and he plays well even though he learned it slowly. Doesn't faze me and our bassist at all," he said with a carefree shrug.

"It's okay if I don't learn it right away?" The little one blinked at him.

"Yep." The teen plucked a sound note from the ukulele on Mafuyu's lap. "What's more important is if you're having fun with it. You'll barely notice it as efforts if you're enjoying what you're doing, no matter how much work you need to pull it off. If it's tiring for you, why keep going, right? Ah, this one here though, he's a bit different from the bigger guitar you have in mind, I think. See the four strings? The bigger one has six and they can make all kinds of different sounds, it's magic. That's the one you see most in a band."

"When I get better, will you also listen to my song when I play?" Mafuyu shuffled his feet with knitted brows, his short legs still far from reaching the staff room floor.

"Of course! I'll even record it for sure. We'll have Kedama and your dad and your other friends hear you play guitar, and maybe a little of your singing voice too, eh? Yeah, bet you'd sound pretty cool if you can sing, especially with those teeny-tiny vocal cords of yours," he enthused, trying to uplift his companion's less-than-happy mood. "Oh. But know what, if you want to become a good guitarist, you have to remember one super-duper important thing that _all_ awesome guitarists do; it's their big secret. Know what that is?" Yuki locked his gaze with Mafuyu's deep brown orbs and the other boy just shook his head. "Lots _and lots_ of practice," he smiled, pressing the other's nose like a button and finally, he heard a tiny giggle.

"Almost there. One last signature here," the elder Hanamaru staff said at their work table. Haruki printed his name and stamp seal in the allotted space on the paper document. "And now we're good to go! We can't be any happier for the small guy that he's found a new loving home, Haruki-san. Your heart is truly a bottomless pit of love," she collected the signed papers with an ear-to-ear grin.

"And that's why he passed the test with flying colors. Another successful passing of the pet-owner torch," Itaya said at the door, one hand casually holding Kedama's familiar leash and new collar with a bone-shaped tag. "Mafuyu-chan picked a good dog."

Through the door, they all heard the pup bark excitedly followed by a squeal and spirited laughter of two boys coming from the main staff room.

"Just granting a simple wish for the little hero," Haruki said, taking the dog's leash and collar, ready to get his son and their new white fluffy pal home.  
  


***  
  


Early August  
  


2

West Neighborhood  
  


When Ritsuka blew out the six candles on the decorated ice cream cake, Akihiko's kite-shaped heart nearly flew away along with it. It was now midsummer on the 1st of August, his son officially a year older and already looking more like a mature young man to his father's eyes. To celebrate Ritsuka's special occasion that day, Akihiko had invited Haruki and Mafuyu in secret to accompany them in their own abode, and he laughed contentedly at his son's surprised reaction as he saw the two familiar people at their door.

"Happy birthday Ritsuka-chan!" Haruki clapped alongside his son at the low coffee table; his new shorter hair gracefully framing the sides of his face.

"Happy birthday," Mafuyu mimicked his father, but his attention was fixated on the untouched dessert in front of him, the eager gleam in his eyes spelled 'Cake, cake, cake.'

"Okay, time to attack this thing," Akihiko said while Haruki carefully set aside the blown candles on a small dish. He sank the warmed knife into the thick chilled layers of summer deliciousness and sliced a good-sized portion for the birthday boy. The other three watched Ritsuka get the first taste of his little cake, ice cream piled high on his plastic fork as he took a hearty bite.

"Mmf!" He made a delighted sound, taking another helping and easing it to Akihiko's direction. "Have some, Dad."

His father leaned forward and took the bite of indulgence from Ritsuka's kiddie utensil. "Mmmff! That's awesome stuff you got there," he said in approval, thinking his son's happy face was as sweet as the food itself.

Mafuyu fidgeted impatiently on his cushion and Ritsuka handed him another plastic fork.

"Here," his boy offered, and the two took turns finishing the portion of cake.

Haruki smiled at them, his shorter locks a timely choice for the seasonal heat. Akihiko took a fond sigh at the scene before him, his heart tumbling in simple happiness like beach waves rolling along the seashore.  
  


***  
  


Late Summer  
  


3

Kyoto Prefecture  
  


"Ooh. Take-san, score," Ruito said as a modern two-storey building came into view, trailing after Kouji and Yayoi as the pair led ahead to their stylish accommodation for the next couple of days. The minimalist-styled architecture of the house looked akin to a toy block sitting on top of a gentle slope with an angled grey roof and floor-to-ceiling windows. "This is nice. When was the last time we went to an actual beach, love? Not the ones viewed from a window inside a hotel where you could hardly hear the waves."

Walking beside him, Ugetsu admired the rich orange sheen of the sunset on the ivory white walls of the house while golden yellow clouds rolled along an indigo sky. It was a perfect late noon to stroll along the shoreline of Kyotango City with the scorching summer sun retreating quietly beyond the horizon; the ideal time to savor the humid outdoors without burning his pale skin. "Never."

"Eh, seriously?" Haruki said behind him, one hand clutching his shoulder bag, the other hand swinging particularly close to Akihiko's own next to him. 

"Once in Hawaii, but there was a storm."

"Then what was the motive here again?" the tallest blonde asked skeptically to his two close friends with an unamused face.

"The two of us want to have a different sightseeing experience for once." Ugetsu peeked at Haruki from behind his shoulder. "Besides, it’s not an absurdly touristy spot which both Rui and I highly prefer."

"Oh yeah, _definitely_ sightseeing," Ruito leered knowingly at Akihiko. "A 'pre-honeymoon escapade' to put a name on it. We're just here to enjoy the sun, the sound of the waves, the smell of the sea, the sand between our toes. The beautiful sunsets, you know, perfect for _romantic stuff_ …"

"Who wants to take the upper room? It has a deck view and all," Kouji called out ahead of them as they walked up the smooth steps to the unique house. "The others have a balcony, but still overlooking the beach."

"They do..." Ruito titled his head toward Akihiko and Haruki while Ugetsu simply smiled with his lips sealed shut.

"'Kay. Well that's settled," Yayoi affirmed at the lower step, tossing the main set of keys of the beach house to Kouji and the man caught it easily in one hand. 

"Welcome to the Terrace House," her boyfriend spoke with a straight face, unlocking the front double doors of the spacious residence; Ruito snorted, Ugetsu wore a pleased smirk, and Yayoi gave an unimpressed stare at her man's random joke. Meanwhile, Haruki and Akihiko stood silently shoulder to shoulder behind the rest of them, the two most behaved pair in the group. "Make yourselves at home."

"A little more! A little more, Take-san!" Ruito whined at the long outdoor table in the veranda, ignoring the stray locks of hair getting in his mildly flushed face. He leaned back lazily in his seat and stared up at the pitch-black sky, picking out familiar constellations he knew by heart. The gentle crash of the waves was a summer lullaby in the distance, and the quiet moon played with the sea; casting slivers of light on the dark water, almost losing himself in reverie.

"You guys, it's not even 24 hours yet and this is how much we've already finished." Kouji checked the empty bottles of booze neatly lined at the corner of the table, checking the level of sanity on his currently inebriated companions. "We'll be left with salt and lemons by tomorrow and I don't trust any of you to do the shopping when we run out of stuff. Ah, or maybe Haruki."

His friend answered with a shrug, wiping away a few crumbs of rum brownies on the table with a tissue napkin.

"Game ends when the round comes out clean," Ugetsu said, puffing from his cigarette and watched the sea breeze carry it away in the air, then he and Akihiko swatted at it hurriedly when it floated towards Yayoi's direction.

"Never have I ever stripped in public." Ruito resumed their game, his eyeglasses already removed and hooked at the open collar of his shirt.

Akihiko took a shot.

"Hah?" Haruki reacted first.

"Used to model for anatomy drawing class back in university."

"Maybe we can make this into a stripping game insteeaaad," Ruito suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh, by yourself." Kouji shielded an arm in front of Yayoi and his girlfriend merely blushed. 

"Never have I ever sat beside my crush," Ugetsu followed quickly, already prepared for his turn. 

Feeling warmth in his ears, Haruki was ready to take a shot beside Akihiko when the man suddenly interrupted him.

"Wait wait, not fair. _You two_ are married," Akihiko gestured to Ugetsu and Ruito, "and _they're_ together," he regarded Kouji and Yayoi. The four people obviously not taking a swig of alcohol.

"It took us a while to realize we were beyond friends already, remember?" Ugetsu reminded him.

"Kouji always prefers taking the opposite seat when it's just the two of us," Yayoi supplied, further crushing Akihiko's point. "Well?" she arched an eyebrow with a smug grin.

The tallest man took his shot bitterly. 

"Never have I ever… kissed a celebrity?" Haruki said.

Ugetsu took a helping without delay. Kouji glanced at Yayoi, then also took a drink.

"Never have I ever licked food off of someone's body," Akihiko said next.

Kouji made a face and tipped another. 

"TAKE-CHAN!"

Akihiko wheezed, nearly falling off his chair.

"It's was her!" the man reasoned, face tinted pink.

Ruito tossed his head back to guffaw heartily, his rich brown hair akin to a silky curtain falling away from his face. "Oh details please, Yayoi-san!"

"Ahhh, it was just once!" she said with her face also shaded in deep red; a combination of the alcohol and her own awkward predicament. "When was that, around the first few months when we moved in together? We came back from a drinking party and I.. I was a bit guttered. I put whipped cream on my nipple and told him to lick it off."

Ugetsu clutched his stomach and bent over laughing. "Yayoi-san, _fierce_!" he exclaimed, struggling not to tear a hole in his stomach.

"Never have I ever done it in more than five rounds," the woman said hastily, urging the game onward before the rest of her brain recalled the aftermath of that privately indulgent memory.

The married couple took a shot each. This time, it was Yayoi who cracked up, leaning casually against Kouji's shoulder for needed support.

"Eeeeh, Spartan?!" Haruki cried.

"We did seven once, hoping for eight" Ugetsu stumbled with his words chortling behind his hand while Ruito hardly looked ashamed of it at all.

Kouji pursed his lips as he thought of a good question for his turn, his mind with a light buzz from the drinks he had already taken from their earlier game. "Never have I ever… looked at a wedding dress and imagined how it would suit my future spouse," he said and took a deep sigh.

All five people around the table looked at each other in pristine silence, not a single one them made a move. The bespectacled man smiled triumphantly while Yayoi sat flustered beside him, taking the final swig and setting the tiny empty glass upside-down on the table.

The hour was nearing 2 in the morning; Haruki could hear the soft crashing waves from where he sat on an outdoor sofa in the garden, watching the faint glow of lights from another part of the city on the faraway horizon. Things had calmed down now after the loud shenanigans and PG-rated drinking games with his friends, the two couples having found their own corners of the house to settle in for the night.

He tried to fall asleep himself in his own bed earlier, but his nerves were still wide awake from all the activity he had throughout the day. When he turned around to check on Akihiko, he found the other bed empty and instinctively got up in plain wonder where the man could be. Passing through the hallway, he glimpsed Ruito and Ugetsu in their room with the door left ajar, seeing the eccentric pair under the covers with a peek of Ugetsu's naked shoulder. Haruki passed the living room where Akihiko was yet to be found, but discovered the giant hammock adorably occupied instead; Haruki quietly fawned at the sight of his best friend and his girlfriend snuggled together in the hanging canvas bed, their legs tangled with a thin blanket that was mostly hogged by Yayoi. He finally went to the veranda where he saw a familiar glint of pale blonde hair outside by the minimalist garden; Akihiko's slumped shoulders looking somber as he faced the open sea.

"You're wondering how Kasai-chan is handling the boys and their dog, aren't you?" he asked as he took a seat beside Akihiko, their distance a good arm-length apart, the other man checking his phone on and off on his lap.

"Ritsuka's never met her before," Akihiko replied, his calm voice soothing but with a hint of melancholy. 

"She knows what she's doing, trust me. The clever woman is like a Mary Poppins to kids, no matter what their temperament is," Haruki smiled, trying to lighten the mood, the faint summer breeze swaying his short hair. "I um… it was fun tonight."

"Yeah. I've never laughed so much since college, I think," the taller man replied, eyes still gazing at the foamy waves along the seashore. "Haruki, when you took a drink, was it a previous crush?"

"I… N-No, it wasn't. I mean it isn't," Haruki noticed a firefly near a stone lantern at a nearby fern bush; its lower body glowing a vivid shade of green similar to Akihiko's eyes. "You took one too."

"Yep. Sure did."

"Oh I'm sure you've had plenty, Mr. Art Model Adonis Sir," he said in teasing flattery while Akihiko sighed, his hand now hardly fidgeting with his phone.

"No, this one is… different. I've had relationships in the past, but I've never felt this comfortable with another person before."

"How so?" Haruki still tried to sound chipper but was already feeling a nervous pang in his gut.

"They're very kind, reliable, hardworking, always making me feel at ease. Plenty of times they would smile or laugh and it's always comforting to know I made them feel better somehow."

"How… did you two meet?" the shorter man saw the firefly flit away from its post, disappearing through the garden into the ungodly hour of night. As much as his heart was twisting into knots in his chest, Haruki couldn't quell the burning intrigue about who Akihiko's crush might be. He imagined a beautiful, intelligent, witty, down-to-earth kind of person who could perfectly match the man's personality, someone sophisticated or with incredible talent perhaps, maybe a mix of everything altogether. 

"We just met this year in spring," Akihiko replied, eyes turning downcast. "It was Ritsuka's first day of school. I was picking him up after his class and there was a nice person who gave him candy."

Haruki's breath hitched, his lungs suddenly deprived of oxygen as he forgot to breathe, and the sound of the sea turned to mute in his ears.

"They're good at making bento lunches for their kid, they can even make Ritsuka behave. They never fail to cheer me up over the most random simple things," the man beside him continued rambling. "There was a time they made dinner and everything was cooked perfectly. They gave Ritsuka a guitar tab book for his birthday and a pair of cute toe socks with music notes on it."

The whirl of emotions smoldered in Haruki's heart and the shy man instantly hid his face in his hands, not knowing if he was hearing things right in his head. "Akihiko, this person. This is someone I don't know, right?" he asked in a mild joke, hoping reality would hit him with a brick and wake him up from his current fantasy. His face was feeling warm again, wishing he had wings similar to that firefly in order to flee into the night.

"Yeah. I'm a hundred percent sure you have absolutely no idea who I'm talking about," the taller one faced him at last, his eyes shaded dark under the black sky, waiting for him to look back.

Haruki still refused to show his face colored in rosy pink, attempting to control his breathing as he exhaled anxiously into his cupped palms. "I really hope I'm not dreaming," he said worriedly, resisting the urge to curl up into a tight ball in his seat.

"I feel like I'm in one myself," Akihiko spoke in a mellow voice as he slowly closed the distance between them, leaning towards the other with the sound of the crashing waves giving him a subtle cheer.

"Oh. There they are," Ruito's sleepy voice came from the veranda. The man was wearing a pair of sweatshorts and a crew neck shirt he obviously put on mere seconds ago. His hair was in disarray as he stared blearily at Haruki and Akihiko on the outdoor couch, lightly scratching behind his ear with a yawn.

"And they're still clothed," Ugetsu noted in an equally drowsy tone, wearing only Ruito's button-down shirt; its hem aptly reaching his naked upper thighs. He took one look at the two men in the garden and turned around on the balls of his feet, tugging his husband's shirt back to their room; his mind half-fogged and eager to resume their sleep, but with an obvious content smile on his lips.

"I win."

\- Part I -  
End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- [Kyotango, Kyoto.](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en-PH&ei=wsz-XY6zEZL_wAPP7qzYBA&q=kyotango+japan&oq=kyotango&gs_l=psy-ab.3.0.0l10.351551.352494..354518...0.1..0.153.670.7j1......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0i67j0i131j0i273j0i131i67.9c_AHRoMXZ8)  
> \- [Terrace House or "TeraHausu"](https://g.co/kgs/PgVeHc).  
> \- Random plug: Segment 3 was inspired by [this song](https://youtu.be/GPWdZ70zSVA) by The Kooks. Just imagining all six of them being kids tripping around the house or playing senseless games outside, stumbling around and face-planting into the sand. Fun times.  
> \- Part II will follow soon.


	7. Chapter 7 / Part II: Beyond Attraction

\- Part II -  
  


“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again.  
You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.”  
— Joan Miró i Ferrà (1893-1983)

  
Autumn

September  
  


1

Yamanoue High School  
  


Multi-colored paper buntings lined the school hallways filled with rollicking students wearing improvised costumes; the different noises from each classroom entrance resounded in Ugetsu's ears as he walked along the corridors of the co-ed school that early September afternoon. Tarp tents erected at the front of the main building were all abuzz with different booths and food stalls selling different snacks and sweets, cheerful music echoed from the assembly hall near the sports field where group dances and impressive song numbers entertained the glow-stick cheering crowds. A cool autumn breeze blew softly over the lively premise, swaying the rainbow balloon arch at the school entrance; its banner read 'Yamanoue Cultural Festival' in artistic calligraphy writing. 

"Murata-sensei, here you go." Inoue handed him a map of the campus sights for the school-wide event. Her new glasses were now thin-rimmed with a gold sheen that glinted under the faculty room lights.

There was a horror house, a themed maid café, an art exhibit in the second-year floor, a dart balloon game with a raffle prize, a scavenger hunt, fortune-telling, and other creative activities organized by the hardworking students. The concert poster particularly caught Ugetsu's eye, seeing a couple of familiar band names in the list of performers and an amused slant formed on his lips. "How is Belle-sensei taking the day so far?"

"Oh she's around exploring," his shorter co-teacher supplied; the charming ribbon on her headband swished to and fro with every turn of her head. "I see Class 3-4 made a stage play. Wonder where they got the inspiration from, hm?" She winked at him and Ugetsu made an unimpressed hiss.

"Their own brilliant minds perhaps."

Inoue chortled. "Well now, how refreshing to hear such unpretentious things from our silver-tongued literature savant. Has something magical happened during summer break that we have yet to talk about?"

"I went to a local beach for the first time since childhood," Ugetsu said, recalling his recent trip last month, "even though I didn't swim."

"Don't tell me that was your honeymoon, Murata-sensei!"

The man laughed, almost a bit _too_ freely inside the near-empty faculty room were a couple of younger staff were taking a break from the noise and incessant activities around the school. "Of course not, of course not," he assured his close colleague. "You worry too much about this and it's particularly endearing, Inoue-san."

"Why of course I'm concerned about this matter, being a young bride a few years ago myself. You have to experience a honeymoon to know how deeply rewarding and magical it is for you and your new spouse; when you find that special time to let the wedding vows sink in," Inoue retorted half-dazed with a twinkle in her eye.

"It's already autumn though, the reality has already sunk in pretty well, I think."

"No, don't think of it too lightly, Murata-sensei! Once you get on that trip, you'll see."

"I'm glad you had a wonderful time on your honeymoon, Inoue-san." He set the posters on his desk and his friendly co-teacher wore a bubbly smile on her face. Her words made a tiny prick on his tongue that tempted him to say something else but held back the thought. "When our turn comes, I really do hope it will turn out well."

"Good!" She nodded in a chipper tone. "Now as much as I would like to 'carpe diem' this festival with these sprightly youngsters, I have to find Belle-san first before she ends up getting wasshoi-ed around the campus by her parade of loyal followers. Care to spare a few minutes, sensei?"

Taking their separate routes, Ugetsu and Inoue split ways to check around each floor of the main building, wading against the throng of students and guests. He took the side staircase to the third-year floor that was particularly empty of people; a silently hidden nook amidst the busy festivities happening around the school. A female student near the emergency exit door sat helpless on the polished floor; her face scrunched in pain as she made eye contact with Ugetsu and wiped an invisible tear at a corner of her eye.

"Ow ow ow…"

"Are you hurt?" He approached her cautiously, recognizing the student from Class 3-4.

"Sensei, my ankle," she winced and Ugetsu closed the distance between them a bit further, ready to crouch beside her and check on her injury.

"Nice polaroid you got there, Homura." Yuki's voice came from behind him in the hallway, along with the footsteps of his two other companions.

True enough, the teacher found the named student peeking from behind a rolling whiteboard clutching a camera angled suspiciously in his direction. 

"Ah damnit," the student hissed. "Get lost, Yoshida."

"Oh excuse you." Yuki's bleached-haired friend reacted, taking a daring step forward but the other student Shizusumi stopped him with a light pull at his guitar strap.

"Easy, Hiiragi."

Yuki tipped his head at his classmate with a cold stare; the black form of his guitar bag like a guarded phantom on his back. "Our class rep's been looking for you. They need help with the backdrops from the logistics crew and noticed a particular guy missing."

"This is none of your business." The student glared daggers at the other teen.

"Is it? Did you _just happen_ to be there by the whiteboard with a camera and not even help the person who fell?"

"Murata-sensei, what is happening over there?"

All five students and Ugetsu turned their heads to the person at the landing by the main staircase.

"Vice-principal." The teacher bowed in greeting.

"The student seems to be in pain." Watanabe deduced at the nervous-looking girl on the floor. "Does she need the clinic?"

"No, Sensei," Yuki spoke on Ugetsu's behalf; a bold move to answer the vice principal even though the question wasn't even addressed to the student himself. "She's absolutely fine, she's not even _hurt_. Right, Homura?" he eyed his classmate sharply while the girl dusted off her skirt as she quietly stood up without any struggle on her feet.

Watanabe immediately sniffed mischief in the air among the students and his mouth thinned into a strict line. "Any raucous behavior in this school is gravely frowned upon, any third-year student should know that very well," he said in a warning tone. "Murata-sensei, is there any trouble?" 

Ugetsu blinked himself back to reality, watching the dreaded expression on Homura and his female accomplice. "No, Watanabe-sensei. They were practicing. Class 3-4 is presenting a play and they wanted to polish their lines properly."

The elder teacher looked unconvinced; his serious expression a foreboding sight that could dampen the exuberant cheer around the school. Watanabe studied the quiet third-years in front him for a few tense moments, then saw Ugetsu's calm expression and finally acquiesced. "Very well. Enjoy the festival," he dismissed the small commotion and went back on his route to the connecting passage at the end of the hallway.

By the time the teacher turned around to face his students, he found Homura already striding away with the girl shuffling hurriedly behind him. Yuki watched them disappear around the corner of the hall with a disgusted expression, his two bandmates in equal disbelief at the saved predicament. Ugetsu merely nodded at the three to let them off on their way, the afternoon concert scheduled in a few hours that none of them wanted to be delayed.

"Yoshida," the teacher called out and the teen turned on his heel, facing the adult with an unperturbed look. "Play a good one later," he said in his lecturing tone, eyeing the guitar bag on the student's back and his two bandmates walking further into the hallway.

Hiiragi and Shizusumi also paused in their step upon hearing the man's instruction as though they were in class, while their band vocalist Yuki donned a bright grin on his face and replied with a confident two-finger salute.  
  


***  
  


Late September  
  


2

North Machida  
  


'I'll treat you sometime this week instead. We'll go out, us three musketeers,' Ruito's message said and Akihiko allowed himself a humble smile, the clip-clop of his footsteps like soft knocks on the ground to announce his presence in the silent vicinity. Ristuka walked ahead of him, already knowing their route by heart, the fringe ends of his black wool scarf tousling and bouncing on his back.

'It's fine. Thanks for the thought,' he typed back expertly with one hand, while the other carried a wooden bucket with fresh water along with a wooden ladle.

'Give the Tiny Oreo a good pat on the head for us.' 

Akihiko took a mental note, his heart a red balloon inflating with warmth at his friends' caring words. Ugetsu and Ruito have always accompanied him and Ritsuka to their graveyard visits for the past two years, but for this certain autumnal equinox, it was only him and his son who could arrive at the Tama Cemetery for Ohigan.

"Hi Mum. We're here again," Ritsuka greeted kindly as he stopped in front of a stone monument several heads taller than his height. He looked at Akihiko while carrying their flower offering of yellow lilies and sunflowers with two hands, and his father gestured to him where he could set it down. The marble tombstone was already cleaned and polished, its surrounding lot free of weeds and misplaced pebbles. White chrysanthemums and pink carnations sat quietly in their stone vases on each side of the tombstone; the former a respectful choice for the departed, the latter meaning motherly love. His late wife's family must have visited earlier in the morning and had other ancestors to visit and pay their respects to throughout the day. 

_'Ritsuka's gotten taller, hasn't he? He's six now, by the way,'_ Akihiko said as his son placed their small basket of flowers at the bottom tier of the grave; he particularly insisted on the yellow color for their visit, wanting something cheerful and happy for his mother. The short stalks of sunflowers were Akihiko's last-minute addition to their offering which matched the hue of his son's preference; the well-known summer flower that bloomed under the sun's warm rays. _'He had ice cream cake on his birthday and now he's getting obsessed learning to play guitar.'_

Behind him, he heard his boy sniffle followed by an unguarded sneeze.

"You okay there, panther?" Akihiko arranged their incense sticks on the stone holder, then eased the flame of his lighter to the tips and watched thin webs of smoke trail away into the early autumn air, its burning scent all too familiar to his nostrils. Ritsuka sniffled again with a small nod but didn't utter a single word.

He took a ladle of water from the wooden bucket and slowly poured it on top of the tombstone, letting it cascade in rivulets along the side, hearing the trickling sound that bought a bittersweet peacefulness to their ritual. The boy waited patiently for his father to finish, standing attentively before his mother's grave, then followed Akihiko's lead when the man folded his hands and the two fell in silent prayer.

_'There's a person I met back in spring. His name is Haruki. Fitting, isn't it?'_ Akihiko began in light humor. _'He also has a son who gets along with Ritsuka. They're like hot and cold, two opposite personalities but by some miracle, they're not getting each other into trouble. They're both doing well in school,'_ he talked to her casually, imagining the woman listening kindly to his and his son's stories. _'I've been spending more time with Ritsuka with the flexible hours of my new job. Sometimes it gets erratic but Haruki always volunteers to help look after him with Mafuyu. He's really a caring person and we… spent the summer together. I told him how I felt. We're together now and I really hope I can carry all of this and not trip over.'_

A light breeze whispered throughout cemetery rustling the still-green leaves of the surrounding trees. Akihiko saw Ritsuka still immersed in prayer; his eyes closed tight and his lips pursed in a rather cute pout. He was sure the small man was sharing endless stories to his mother, telling her all the new experiences he had had over the past months; meeting new friends and going to school, learning about music and playing his string instrument.

After saying his gratitude and temporary farewells, Ritsuka ended his prayer and held Akihiko's left hand. Their incense sticks were only one-third of their way into their burn, giving the father and son ample time to collect their thoughts.

"Dad, how come you're not wearing your ring anymore? Like the one Ugetsu-niichan wears with Rui-nii," his son asked, noticing the missing white gold band on his father's left ring finger. "Won't Mum be sad?" 

Akihiko squeezed Ritsuka's cold hand gently as he watched the incense sticks continue to burn. Some gray ash had already fallen around the stand and he would have to clear it off later before they leave. He weighed his words, balancing them on a mental scale, checking which ones wouldn't sound too heavy nor too light and convey a decent message to his boy's simple understanding. "Papa still loves Mum, Ritsu. He doesn't want her sad, not at all. He even misses her from time to time, but we both know she's not coming back."

"But how would she know? How would she know if the ring isn't there? Does it mean Papa doesn't want to be connected with her anymore?"

"Even when I don't have my ring, I still think about Mum," Akihiko answered as carefully as he could. "Papa isn't going to forget her and I'm sure you don't want to forget her either. We still visit her like what we're doing now, we always surprise her with different flowers. Other times we even share with her a little snack. We tell her all sorts of stories and one time you even sang a song for her. When Mum sees you happy, she's happy too. She knows we still love her, even when he isn't wearing his ring."

Ritsuka's eyes went downcast that made Akihiko worry if his explanation did more damage than repair. If only he could be as articulate with words just as his business meetings when it came to children's talk with his own kid.

"Does it make you sad then? It makes you lonely?"

The boy's grip in his hand loosened and his father felt his heart was about to chip away into small pieces. "Rikka…"

"If the ring makes you sad, then you don't have to wear it. You don't have to! You can put the ring away and we'll play guitar and make a band and do more fun stuff, have ice cream cake again… I miss her too but I don’t want Papa to be sad all the time. That would make Mum sad too, then I'll also get sad and…" Ritsuka said weakly, his voice with a slight quiver. Akihiko crouched down to Ritsuka's height and wrapped the smaller one into his arms. 

"It's okay, it's okay. Papa's not lonely," Akihiko said soothingly, rubbing his child's back and placing a soft kiss on the little one's dark hair. "There's a lot of people keeping me company like Ruito-nii and Ugetsu-niichan. Then Mafuyu and Haruki-san. And of course, there's _you_. You're my awesome little rockstar, 'kay?"

"And Mum also knows you're not sad?" the boy nuzzled against his father's neck then broke their embrace to gaze at his parent's slightly green orbs.

"You always make me happy, spud," the father patted his son's head with a warm smile, "no matter what kind of mess you make in the house."

Akihiko handed out his handkerchief which the child took gratefully to wipe his red nose. He noticed his boy's face was also feverish pink and touched the back of his hand to the small one's cheek; the warmth telling him a quick trip to the local pharmacy was a must before heading straight back home.  
  


***  
  


3

Central Neighborhood  
  


The hour was 10 p.m. when Haruki found himself in Akihiko's (and Ritsuka's) bedroom wearing his clothes roughly a weekend after the holiday of Ohigan. The other parent had informed him earlier during the week that Ritsuka would be taking a few days off from school; the boy currently down with the common cold. Upon hearing his friend's ailing condition, Mafuyu practically dragged him to the Kaji household that autumn afternoon, deeply concerned for the well-being of his close playmate. Haruki reminded him they could only stay for a short time, worried for Mafuyu's own health, but four hours and an early healthy dinner later his plan simply went bust.

By 8:30 Mafuyu had fallen asleep beside his friend on the futon and Akihiko suggested for them to stay over. He was ready to decline politely if only the man hadn't mentioned Ritsuka's personal request for their familiar company. Now Haruki was in a different set of sleeping clothes, trying not to get a fever himself as he internally swooned over the fresh scent of Akihiko's shirt; a guilty secret perfume he wanted to wear as long as he could. He rolled over in his futon and tangled his legs in the sheets, embedding into his consciousness that he was spending a night at his new partner's house, wondering if he was just in a dream that he will wake up from and have a good laugh.

Some restless moments later, the time on his phone read a past 11 p.m. but he was still hardly ready to doze off. Mafuyu was sound asleep beside his friend and Haruki checked the warmth on Ritsuka's forehead, relieved to find it less worrying than before. He wondered if Akihiko was already tucked in, feeling guilty that the man parked himself on the sofa for the night. Haruki peeked outside the bedroom but curiously found the furniture empty; the glow of the open laptop on the low table almost ghostly in the peaceful half-lit apartment space.

Outside on the balcony by the laundry hangers, he found the familiar back of Akihiko; the man leaning against the railing, watching the evening drizzle form puddles on the asphalt streets below. The scenery before them was rather crowded with nearby buildings and busier establishments in the area, even a main road and a nearby train station were in distant view. Haruki noticed a fair amount of people holding umbrellas and shiny cars dotted with raindrops still passing by at the given hour, making him wonder if they were heading home or going to their late-night work. 

"Akihiko?" Haruki approached without a sound and the person faced him with a calm expression.

"Oh. Thought you were asleep already," Akihiko said, welcoming the other's presence in the balcony. "Do you need another blanket?"

The shorter man elbowed his partner's arm as he took the words in light jest. "Ritsuka-chan's fever has gone down," he said in a mindful soft tone, "He'll be back to his energetic self in no time."

"That's good to know," the other one said, folding his arms and propping them against the railing. "Mafuyu hardly left his side except when it was time for dinner. Are you sure he's going to be okay sleeping too close to the other one?"

Haruki traced the veins along Akihiko's left arm with his eyes until he stopped when he noticed the man's hand, seeing his ring finger plain without any accessory and felt a small pang in his gut. "I put a little pillow barrier between them just in case. Are you really still working this late?"

"It's not the usual working hour, trust me. Only for this certain project we're organizing for a new client. They wanted to add some last-minute changes and our team had to make adjustments. The schedule gets crazy sometimes but I'd rather take this tiny hiccup at work than the ridiculous overtime I had to pour all my time into at my previous job. If I was still there right now, I wouldn't even be able to look after Ritsuka like this and be a… proper, responsible, dependable, parent to him, especially when he's down and needs care the most."

Haruki bit his lip at hearing the other's earnest thoughts, and words began spilling from his mouth before he was aware of it. "You're doing a decent job, Akihiko. Ritsuka-chan always has a smile on his face when he sees you after school. You teach him music, take time to play with him, let him explore new things, make sure he eats his vegetables."

"Thanks," the other one replied with a modest smile on his face. "I have a role model, that's why. That person gave me a lot of ideas on how to better raise my own kid. And coincidentally, that admirable human being is standing right next to me tonight with a cute sleepy face and wearing my clothes."

"H-Hahh?"

Akihiko smirked and Haruki's heart nearly melted from the sudden generous compliment.

"You and Mafuyu have also helped a lot ever since I started this new work, and I can probably make a 5-minute slideshow presentation on the new stuff I've learned from watching you handle things. You always keep to your deadlines with your editors while managing shifts at Suzuran, plus doing volunteer work at the animal shelter. Then there's managing Mafuyu's schedule and still keeping your place together; your house is always neat and tidy, always with the proper necessities. And recently you've also taken in a new pet. I've never heard you complain about any of your errands and always have back-up plans under your sleeve. There's also that time when…"

"Okay, okay. I'm seriously close to being a standing blob right now and might as well be a puddle of goo on the street over there," Haruki hid his warming face with his hands; his mind spinning in vertigo from hearing the other's intent praise.

"I don't know if anyone has told you all those things already, but if not, I'd be happy to know if I'm the first," Akihiko closed the distance between them on the balcony rail. "You're doing a decent job too and you should be more proud about that."

Haruki felt a lock of his hair tucked behind his ear and finally peeked between his trembling fingers. When Akihiko's lips touched his forehead, he was almost sure one-eighth of his soul went to paradise bathed in romantic bliss. He gathered his bearings not wanting their intimate moment go to waste, and slightly tilted his head forward curiously, while his head bombarded him with _'No no no, this isn't a TV drama! Wake up, Haruki! Wake up, WAKE UP!'_

But the more his brain told him no, the stronger his heart pulled him into the tempting offer. His body craved warmth and became helplessly drawn toward Akihiko's mouth; their breaths an invisible bridge for their lips to meet; the quiet surroundings buildings watching their every move.

Before Haruki could close his eyes, Akihiko tugged him behind a clean bed sheet hanging on the clothesline; the rest of the world hidden from their view. The man delicately cupped his face with both hands then leaned down to press their mouths together, and Haruki nearly believed all his brain cells abruptly ceased to function. Akihiko slowly guided his body backward until he heard a soft thud and felt cold glass against his back. The shorter parent squeaked in uncomfortable surprise while pressed against the sliding door and his partner merely chuckled, wrapping his arms protectively around the other's waist.

As much as Haruki wanted to take things further as his mind happily frolicked in dandelion fields, he couldn't overlook a certain detail in his reality and broke their lip-lock while struggling to control his heaving chest. "Should we… um… check on the kids for a bit?" he had no idea how his hands ended up on Akihiko's chest, only being aware of the distinct dips and plains of the man's upper torso that were addicting to his needy palms.

"Give me a few more minutes," Akihiko said with silent laughter in his soft tone and resumed their kiss.

Haruki sighed in content with a shy mewl he didn't recognize from his own voice and the other responded easily with a heart-fluttering moan. With the pitter-patter of raindrops now gone and the streets below whisper silent, he hoped the sounds wouldn't be too loud to wake the sleeping children but had to admit their situation was a little… _fun_. After a long time of not being kissed and touched and held in another person's arms, Haruki closed his eyes and savored a moment of heaven as Akihiko lovingly tasted his lips, standing on a plain apartment balcony decorated with swaying bed sheets and blankets on a cloudy autumn night.


	8. Chapter 8

Early October  
  


1

Central Neighborhood Park  
  


A speckled leaf from a nearby tree landed on his lap and Akihiko noticed the dark blemish resembled a lopsided heart. There was a ring of a bicycle bell from the delivery boy on the other side of the road, and Akihiko watched the young lad alight his bike and enter a local snack shop carrying a parcel with two hands. He heard a snippet of gossip from a pair of middle-aged women as they passed by the park bench where he was sitting, carrying groceries in their shopping totes and chatting in concern about their sons and daughters getting into recent break-ups and other troubles with love. The striking black hair of another female passer-by caught his eye; her fringed bangs a little ruffled and her face a little flushed, her hand kept wiping at the side of her eye as she walked briskly along the sidewalk, from her frowning mouth was the unmistakable sound of a heartbreaking sob.

"Yayoi-san?" he called out and the woman paused in her step, several strides past his comfortable seat on the park bench.

"Oh. Hi." She turned around to face him, her nose a bit pink and she sniffled shyly covering her lower face with the back of her hand.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"I uh…" Yayoi averted her eyes from Akihiko and bit her lip, another impending sob ready to escape her throat. "I'm okay. I just uh… we had a fight. A little fight."

He moved to one side of the bench and offered the woman to take a seat. Akihiko need not ask _who_ Yayoi had a quarrel with; seeing the downward tilt of her head, her puffy eyes, the crumpled expression on her face that easily reflected her broken feelings. She sat beside him on the bench and Akihiko gave her enough time to calm down, only dreading what led Yayoi and her long-time partner to lock horns on a pleasant weekday morning.

"Maybe it was my fault? I don't know? Everything piled up and I had enough of it," Yayoi spoke with a nasal voice and Akihiko quietly offered her his handkerchief. "This morning, soon after waking up he told me he couldn't make it our reserved plan next week because of more 'urgent stuff'. If it was the first or second time, I wouldn't mind it, really! But this was what, the _fifth_ time he canceled something we planned ahead? It's just not like him to get his schedules all tangled up! It doesn't make sense! Or other times he'd be the one to initiate something, then afterward he'd take it back. Dude, _come on_ , make up your mind!" she ranted in frustration, gripping Akihiko's handkerchief tightly in her hand.

"And know what else? It wouldn't even be a big problem for me if it was actually _work-related_ since I know he loves it a lot and it's important to him. But the real cherry on top of this rotten cake was when he said he'd be out late with one of his friends. I thought okay, sure, why not, right? Then later on Kasai-chan told me she saw him around Ginza that same night with another woman she didn't recognize. She said they were looking pretty chummy with each other, and their faces were always _this_ close whenever they talked like they wanted to…" Yayoi trailed off abruptly and wiped another tear trailing down her right eye.

Meanwhile, Akihiko had a pretty good guess how her unfinished sentence was going to end but remained silent in his seat.

"He defended it, of course, when I told him I knew about it," she continued. "He said I shouldn't meddle into others' business but didn't deny he was with another woman that night. The idiot said she was a friend, but what Kasai-chan said was different. When I asked him who she was, he kept a lid on it and uuuugh, that already says a lot, doesn't it?! It says a _whole effing lot_ and it made me think, wow, this is it? This is what it all comes down to? After living together for years and saying all those sweet things, all the stuff we did together, it was for _nothing_?!"

She sobbed, struggling to keep her voice to a minimum. Akihiko looked around him, thankful the people passing by were too busy with their own musings, not staring or scrutinizing the crying woman beside him on a clear-skied October afternoon.

"What happened next?"

"I was fed up! He didn't even say sorry and said he was expecting something different from me. What's _that_ supposed to mean?! That I'd silently let him have his way? As if I had been breathing down his neck all this time? I don't even message him when he's busy with work! We don't even get to spend much time together that's why I always look forward to any quick lunch or late dinner dates a whole effing lot! Then he starts canceling them all the time and now I find out he's… not interested in this anymore? Did I hurt him in the past that he isn't telling me?" 

Akihiko put his thoughts on hold, knowing his friend's question was best answered by a simple caring nod while keeping his own mouth shut.

Thankfully, Yayoi understood his mindful silence and fished out two matching accessories from her pocket, showing them to Akihiko on her open palm. "He gave this on my birthday this year. They look nice, right? I was so upset it slipped my mind they were there when I went out. But now it's so tempting to throw them in the trash, you know?" she grinned bitterly at the small objects in her hand; a pair of drop earrings with quartz stones dangling from a pearl stud.

"No, don't," Akihiko finally said but strode carefully with his words. Before he could placate his friend's troubled feelings any further, his phone vibrated in his pocket and read a message from own significant other.

'Crossing my fingers you're still at the park. Have you seen Yayoi-san?'

Akihiko side-glanced at the woman in question who was wiping her tears beside him. 'Yeeeeep,' he replied discreetly, though the person didn't seem to mind that he was using his phone in the middle of her drama.

'???'

'She's not looking very good right now. How'd you know?'

A couple of seconds passed before the other sent his reply. 'Same picture here.'

The man internally groaned in his seat, not liking where this afternoon was headed but still clung to a strand of hope. 'I'll see you later to pick up the kids,' he typed back. 

'Roger that,' Haruki closed their discussion and Akihiko tucked his phone back in his pocket.

"I'm a wretched bitch, aren't I?" Yayoi said out of nowhere after brewing in silence with her thoughts for another ten minutes, her eyes less puffy and her sobs long gone.

"You're not," Akihiko replied, reading 2:30 p.m. on his watch, "and it's not yet too late to sort things out." Watching a few more locals walk by, he noted the calmer atmosphere once again in his surroundings; the previously flaming temper in Yayoi's heart smothered to ash at long last.

"Damnit," she cursed under her breath and her companion nearly applauded when she finally _finally_ put on her drop earrings; the elegant accessories a charming focal point to her outfit that day. She stood up and Akihiko followed her lead, but the father lingered confused when the woman started walking in the opposite direction from the east side of the city.

"Let's go," Yayoi said without a waver in her tone.

"Where are we going?"

"Suzuran. I know he's there. And you're on your way to pick up Haruki-san," she answered plainly, taking a head start on their route. "After being with that idiot for five years, there's got to be at least _one_ thing I've memorized about him, right?"

Another bicycle bell rang from across the street, another dried leaf fell from its tree and floated gently to the ground. Akihiko joined Yayoi in their walk to Suzuran Café at 2:30 that pleasant autumn afternoon, hearing her certain footsteps on the pavement as the pink quartz of her earrings swung to and fro; the rays of sunlight playing with the shiny stones that dangled happily from their pearl studs right where they belonged.  
  


***  
  


2

Central Neighborhood  
  


"Lovers' quarrel, huh," Haruki mused aloud to his partner as they strolled along the sidewalk, keeping sight of their sons in his periphery; the two boys coursing ahead of them holding a rainbow pinwheel each. Taking a longer route home was an unplanned agenda for him that day, but Haruki reconsidered the option, needing a stress-reliever himself after Kouji showed up during his work shift but hardly even spoke a word. "Of all the days for the customers to pile up, it had to be today. I couldn't even spare a minute to ask Take-chan if he wanted a refill and he just sat there by the window, busy with his phone. Aaaah, perish the imagery. And how did you find Yayoi-san, by the way?"

"I was waiting for dismissal time at a bench when she passed by." Akihiko paced idly beside him, seeing Ritsuka and Mafuyu hold their pinwheels eagerly to the face the light breeze, hoping to keep the winged flaps of their toy spinning as long as they could. "If you got the silent treatment, mine was the complete opposite."

"Hearing couples bicker is the same as nails on a chalkboard," Haruki groaned.

"Every time," Akihiko agreed, still hearing Yayoi's tirade of feelings echoing in his ears. 

"Right? And they could be about _anything_ from a serious thing to the teeny-tiniest nuisance like uh, where you squeeze your toothpaste tube or sending 'omw' but you haven't even stepped out of the door yet. Forgetting your own keys, misplacing your wedding ring, or—" Haruki cut off mid-sentence and wanted to glue his lips shut. "I'm so sorry," he immediately followed, turning his gaze downward in sincere apology.

"Haruki."

"I am _so_ sorry. The words just slipped out. I-I didn't mean to say that." He clapped a hand to his mouth, imagining digging his own grave and burying himself under the earth, letting the worms feast on his flesh until he was a mere collection of forgotten bones.

"You should breathe. No harm done," Akihiko reassured him gently, debating in his head whether he should hold the other's hand or dismiss the thought. "My late wife and I… we didn't fuss a lot over those kinds of things back then. She was more on the free-spirited type, but also knew how to be thoughtful in her own way."

Haruki silently wished he could rewind time, but knew the damage was already said and done; he accepted the twinge in his gut, as though his heart was made into a pin cushion being stabbed with several needles until his beating organ bled dry.

"Would you like to visit her one time?" Akihiko offered so suddenly that the other swore the world abruptly stopped spinning on its axis.

Before losing his balance, Haruki paused in his step and found himself caught by Akihiko's gem-like eyes as it gleamed the afternoon light, hypnotizing his senses as an unspoken 'yes' formed in his mouth. All he needed to do was to let the answer free between his lips with his own voice, but his partner's spellbinding gaze was broken too soon when he heard a different word instead. 

"Ahhh! Mafuyu!"

The two parents whipped their heads toward the sound of Ritsuka's panicked voice and found the said child fallen face-down on the ground.

If Haruki was able to keep himself from falling earlier, now he truly felt his world tilting askew as he rushed to his boy, seeing Mafuyu struggling to prop himself up with his hands, hearing his son's whimpering voice that was ready to turn into a full-blown cry.

"He slipped! There was a slippery part and we didn't see it!" Ritsuka said as Akihiko joined him at his side. The boy gripped his father's hand tightly, unsure how to handle the sudden predicament; a feeling of the entire world witnessing your mistake and the challenging feat of accepting that fact.

"Mafuyu, let me see you." Haruki helped his son sit upright, dusting off the dirt from his boy's clothes, arms, and little hands. Then he checked for any bruises or injuries (thankfully he found none), all the while Akihiko and Ritsuka stayed in worried silence a few paces behind him. 

"Ouchie," Mafuyu cried quietly, his expression clearly displaying self-shame but did his best not to burst into tears, pursing his mouth tightly lest he wailed loudly in front of his father right there in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Where? Where's the ouchie?"

Mafuyu patted his left knee and Haruki gingerly rolled up the boy's pant leg, finding a button-sized scratch on the indicated spot; a slight blemish on the skin, and fortunately no evidence of blood. "Well that was one big oopsie now, wasn't it? It's all right, even Papa slips around at home, doesn't he? We all get a bit clumsy at times," he said, gently ruffling his boy's hair. Then he fished out a handkerchief from his pocket to make a temporary wrap around the minor wound and tied a loose knot. "We'll get this feeling better when we get home, okay? We're almost at our house, it won't take long. Can you stand up by yourself?"

The child was still frowning but didn't protest, finding the courage to try as he read Haruki's soft expression.

"Upsy-daisy, there we go. Easy does it. Oh, lookie you! You're like Iron Man! All righty!"

Mafuyu cautiously dusted himself off the ground while Ritsuka watched him stand back on his feet; his father nodded encouragingly at him while a proud smile found its way on Akihiko's face.

"You get to pick which cool superhero Band-Aid you want for the ouchie when we get back, how's that sound?" Haruki said and the boy rubbed away the rest of his tears and lightly held on to his father's hand.

Taking a few paces forward, Mafuyu hardly noticed any pain in his left step, and soon realized he was walking normally again; no embarrassing stares from strangers, no ridiculing snickers or fingers pointing out his small mistake. And most importantly, no angry voice from his father who merely walked alongside him, almost heroically from his smaller point of view. He mimicked Haruki's confident strides, taking one brave step at a time, noticing the people around him paying no mind to the handkerchief tied around his left knee. The more paces he took, the more Mafuyu found less and less things to worry about in his surroundings and instead chose to look forward to that superhero Band-Aid waiting for him at home, just as his father promised.  
  


***  
  


3

West Neighborhood  
  


"…And _that_ was when Yayoi-san said she'd slap him if he said another word, then Take-san only kept silent and walked out. It was the first time she threatened him like that and hated herself afterward. When she went out to cool her head, that was when Aki saw her at the park and she turned him into a rant sponge for 20 minutes or so. And of course knowing Aki, the big softie that he is, he listened patiently through everything she said…" Ugetsu paused his narrative when he noticed Ruito's eyes still glued to his computer screen, scrolling over different open tabs that displayed his favorite websites. "Were you even listening? Rui? Earth to Major Tom?"

The teacher fought the urge to roll his eyes in disdain as his spouse continued browsing the internet while sitting cross-legged on the polished floor.

"Isn't there a special documentary about this famous guitar musician and his UNHCR volunteer work showing on BS2 tonight? What was his name again? Miyavi?"

"Ishihara Takamasa. Why yes, I even made an alarm on my phone so I won't miss the time slot. Very thoughtful of you to remind me," the other finally spoke but his eyes were still trained to his laptop on their coffee table. He was newly rejuvenated from his evening bath; his hair smelling of alluring mint and eucalyptus, his indoor jersey jacket a bright splash of blue and lemon yellow in their living room. "And how did you know this again? In all their gloriously dramatic detail?" he turned his head to face Ugetsu who was curled up on their sofa; the novel he was reading bookmarked half-way into the story, resting on a throw pillow.

"She messaged this afternoon."

The freshly bathed man gave a dubious look.

"Okay, Aki mentioned it first and I got curious so I asked her. I'm a concerned friend," Ugetsu admitted frankly then took a sip of tea, his fingertips peeking from the long sleeves of his beige turtleneck sweater.

"As long as they sleep in the same bed tonight, then the storm is over," Ruito leaned back and propped his hands on the floor behind him for support. "Honestly, I don't even think Take-san's a kind of guy who would do that. Not even in a million lifetimes. I bet you even if some bombshell actress sat next to him on a train wearing a sexy dress, he'd ask to take a picture and say 'Thanks for the photo, my girlfriend is a big fan of yours! Kthnkxbye!'" he piped in mild jest.

Ugetsu stifled a laugh as he reckoned thought. "You still haven't posted a funny video in your Twitter from our bet back in summer."

"Ah, but I clearly remember saying 'get together' as in, reveal their feelings to each other. Not necessarily having their own uh… horizontal beach party in bed." Ruito leaned back freely until his back pressed against the sofa, tilting his head to meet his younger husband's scrutinizing gaze.

"No, you particularly said ' _when they undress each other with their feelings_ ' in a breathy voice and kept telling me to check if the door was locked properly," the other clarified.

"Which you _didn't_ do, by the way. And yeah, while you were busy removing my pants. I was being _poetic_."

Resisting to bonk Ruito's head with his paperback novel, Ugetsu only bit his lip in humored annoyance. "If Aki ends up going on a honeymoon ahead of us, you and I might as well visit my uncle's farm in the faraway province. We'll have a picnic watching the cows and horses, frolic in the itchy grass, get burs in our socks and shirts. Feed the ducks, get chased by chickens. Pick berries and make homemade jam. Oh so romantic," he enthused flatly.

For once, the older spouse didn't say a witty comeback straight away, blinking in amazement at Ugetsu's trail of thought. "That actually sounds… _interesting_ ," Ruito said with a growing smile on his face. He propped an elbow on the sofa to rest a hand on the other's socked feet, gently brushing his hands over the soft woolen fabric. "Speaking of this ridiculously delayed honeymoon, love. I was beginning to wonder if you… I don't know, if you might be having new perspectives about this trip by this time," he spoke in his genuine sincere tone.

Ugetsu blinked in curiosity, finding Ruito's changed mood a bit concerning, dreading if the man was going to drop a serious matter onto his lap.

"Of course I'm still up for it, don't be misled. But while I was taking a bath earlier, it got me thinking what other motives do we have for this thing. This… nagging post-marriage vacation that is slowly morphing into a boring commonly chore as the months go by. What would make it _relevant_ for you? For us? Especially by this time when it's already waaaaay past into the year; the leaves are already falling and we're both still stuck to our work schedules, hardly even finding common time to have a meal together and cheaply conversing through Post-it notes," the man shifted his body angle towards the other, propping his chin on a nearby throw pillow.

"What place are you thinking then?"

"Mmm, somewhere offbeat," Ruito voiced out his notions with an eager sparkle in his hazel eyes. "Somewhere exclusively memorable for both us that would make you look back on it years later and say 'I exchanged vows with this person and I have no regrets.'"

Ugetsu toyed with the dangling tassel on his man's pillow with a knowing smirk forming on his lips. He knew how outrageous Ruito's ideas could get at certain times, but that same eccentric mind was also what drew him to the person in the first place; that quirky floating library he called a brain that always spelled 'spontaneous' in bold capital letters, and not letting anyone else tell him how to write it otherwise. "Go on, I'm all ears. What's your grand master plan?"

A radiant smile shone from Ruito's keen expression and the man leaned generously forward, resting his head nearer to Ugetsu's face, making sure his partner could hear his every word. "Okay, here goes," the violist began and the other listened, strumming his ideas tuned by his voice; the tiny moles on his face a mesmeric constellation of stars in the teacher's eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

Late October  
  


1

Central Neighborhood  
  


Blip.

Blip.

Blip.

The female cashier scanned Haruki's shopping items over the infrared scanner with practiced ease while Mafuyu stood at his father's side, patiently observing his surroundings. He tilted his head upward and found an astonishing sight of paper cut-outs hanging from the ceiling; an idiosyncratic cast of witches on broomsticks, pumpkins and black cats, long-legged spiders, and cute smiley ghosts. Mafuyu wondered how they all got up there and imagined adults climbing on ladders or using stilts, perhaps even sitting on a levitating chair or walking in a ridiculously tall pair of geta slippers in order to reach the far ceiling.

"That would be ¥2,192 please," the lady said in a sprightly tone and his father placed the exact amount on the small money tray. The grocery store staff received it humbly and punched some buttons on her cash register; the machine printing its last few details on the paper receipt waiting to be pulled out from its slot.

Keeping to his mentally preoccupied self, Mafuyu turned his attention to the storefront where the polished floor-to-ceiling glass gave view to the locals passing by outside. A customer entered the shop, along with another who exited; the 5-year-old boy was caught in simple awe at how the automatic doors slid open, then slid closed, questioning if the mysterious phenomenon was simply done with magic.

As they exited the shop, a mix of fresh spices and sugary scents tickled Mafuyu's senses as they joined the Machida crowd in the sunny Shimokitazawa district; the pleasant autumn weather telling him all was right in the world for him that day. He spotted a dog-walker handling three medium-sized mutts and amused himself by guessing where the pets could be headed, mindlessly following Haruki's lead to the end of the shopping lane where all the rumbling cars and shinier establishments decorated the suburban streets.

He heard the growl of a motorbike followed by a faint ring of a bicycle bell as he stood with his father at the edge of a sidewalk, ready to cross a pedestrian lane towards their familiar route home. The traffic lights still shone green and Mafuyu only blinked at it; his mind fleeting from one drifting car to another and enjoying the faint whoosh it left behind that swayed his copper hair.

As he waited for Haruki's cue to step into the street, the child heard a ringtone and the pulsing hum of a vibrating phone. His father fished out the noisy gadget from his pocket and set themselves aside from the crowd, parking themselves at a nearby Family Mart to answer his seemingly important call.

"Oh, Kato-san. Yes, the email for the revisions is received. Thank you for the time working through them over the past week," Haruki spoke to his editor, setting down his bag of groceries next to the clear glass window of the convenience store. "Ah, is the consultation soon? Yes, of course, there is enough time on my schedule. The reference materials sent last month were such a big help I'm very grateful for the generous support to write this new work… oh, other concerns? Hmm… so far things are moving along fine… there as some titles in the public library I'm planning to check for some added details about the period setting… "

Haruki spoke on and on and on. Mafuyu looked down at his shoelaces in growing boredom and started fidgeting in his spot. His mind drifted to the dog-walker he encountered earlier and wondered where the three pets might be headed for their daily exercise. Perhaps they were headed to the park or a nearby neighborhood, imagining them passing by Hanamaru Animal Shelter where his furry friends resided.

More minutes ticked by, then the pedestrian light switched to a secure green. Not wanting to lose their chance, Mafuyu tugged at Haruki's sleeve as the sea of waiting people began traversing from both sides of the intersection. But to his young dismay, the man still minded his phone call and kept chatting away about his work, all the while catching a glimpse of a distinct shade of sandy blonde hair and a guitar bag on the opposite sidewalk where he stood; the figure wearing a gakuran jacket and talking to his two similarly-clothed companions. Mafuyu's eyes zeroed-in on the teenager as he recognized the friendly face, letting go of his grip from his father's sleeve while the rest of his mind wiped itself into a clean blank slate.

"Yuki-niichan?! Yuki-niichan!" The child made his way to the zebra crossing by himself; his steps accelerating as a wide smile formed on his excited face, his heart skipping in glee after missing his older playmate for two long weeks, and not letting the chance go to waste. Seconds counted by as he followed after the distant crowd, oblivious to his own short legs as he lagged behind in the wide vehicle lanes; awaiting cars, traffic lights about to switch colors, his own father all forgotten as his small running feet lead him towards the unaware teen.

"…Oh that's very kind, Kato-san. The meeting last time took longer than we thought, but every minute of it was surely well-spent… Yes, yes, it's was no problem at all… for this week's consultation, maybe we could…" Haruki didn't say another word as he caught sight of his boy darting across the intersection, the pedestrian signal mere seconds from turning back to red. He hardly remembered dropping his phone call as his heartbeat throbbed wildly inside his chest, hurrying to slam the crosswalk pushbutton back to a safe 'Go', dreading one single vehicle not noticing a child still finishing his way to the other end of the street. 

"MAFUYU!" he yelled as he dashed after the small boy, briefly plunging into a world of mute silence and running knee-deep into unforgiving quicksand. His child didn't seem to hear his call as he ran further away from him, away from his side, and Haruki swore he had never felt that helpless so far in his entire life.

"Yuki-niichan! Yuki-niichan!!"

The high school boy swung his head towards the young voice behind him, completely dumbfounded how a random Mafuyu suddenly appeared running towards him in the busy Machida crowd, "Hey, kiddo. Where'd you come from? Where’s your dad?"

His small friend eagerly clung to his leg and didn't let go, staring up at him with round brown eyes that clearly expressed concern.

"I was waiting at the shelter so we could play, but you weren't there. Where do you go all the time? Don't you like seeing doggies anymore??"

Yuki felt a small chip in his heart but only ruffled the little one's soft brightly-colored hair.

"Friend of yours?" Hiiragi asked, confused at the child's unexpected company while Shizusumi kept silent behind him.

"Yeah, a little sidekick we have at the shelter," Yuki replied, finally catching the sight of Mafuyu's parent Haruki walking—no, _rushing_ towards them with stomach-wrenching anger written all over the person's face.

"Mafuyu!" Haruki called through the moving crowd and Yuki nearly froze upon hearing the man's strict voice.

"H-Haruki-san?"

The said child clinging to his leg took a nervous gulp, his face growing pale as his displeased father drew closer to where he stood.

"You stay right there little man. Don't hide from me," the man said sternly, halting a few steps away from Yuki and his two schoolmates. The student didn't dare say a word as he saw Haruki's expression, failing to grasp what the commotion was all about.

"Do you have any idea how _dangerous_ that was?"

"Dad, I… I…" Mafuyu's voice began to quiver, gripping the fabric of Yuki's pant leg tighter and tighter with his small hands.

"Why did you cross the street like that? What if no one saw you when the lights turned?" Haruki began, struggling not to raise his voice while out in public, callously ignoring his son's glassy eyes and trembling mouth. "What if Papa didn't catch you out there running all by yourself and a car didn't see you? Or a van or a bus? Are you hearing me right now?"

Yuki felt Shizusumi poke his shoulder and pointed at his wristwatch. "Lessons in ten," he reminded him discreetly.

"I'll see you two in a bit," the teen whispered back and gave Hiiragi and Shizusumi an assuring nod. His two friends exchanged uneasy looks but acquiesced, resuming the path to their supplementary classes before they ran late. "Mafuyu," Yuki gently coaxed his small friend who stayed practically glued to his leg. The child had now buried his face to his side, and Yuki could already hear the sound of hitching breaths as the boy controlled his quiet sobs.

"Yoshida, do you have cram classes soon?" Haruki noticed him check the time on his phone; the current hour was already an unsavable five minutes before 4:30 p.m.

Yuki nodded in reply and bit his bottom lip, hinting that the frightened child still attached to his leg had no plans of moving from their spot.

Haruki counted a few valuable seconds and took a deep breath, letting the fresh autumn air soothe his riled up nerves as he inhaled, then released his rioting emotions out through his mouth as he breathed out.

"Yoshida has school. You have to let him go now," the parent told his child in a less harsh tone, knowing Yuki was also getting inconvenienced between him and his little boy.

The small one shook his head stubbornly, revealing small wet blots of tears on the student's black pant leg, not noticing his father crouching down to his height despite some curious stares from random strangers. 

"Do you know why Papa is angry? Mafuyu, look at me."

His son finally peeked from Yuki's side and nodded in guilt as he rubbed his sniveling nose.

"Papa was _scared_ , do you understand? That was very dangerous and you could've ended up getting hurt, seriously injured or…" Haruki paused, swallowing the growing lump in his throat, "or _worse_."

Yuki cast his gaze skyward to admire the still-green leaves of some nearby autumn trees, distracting his imagination from any _real_ frightening thoughts about what the father truly meant, steeling his nerves as he chased away the bad visions forming in his head.

"Now Yuki-niichan has school and you don't want him to be late so you have to let go," Haruki said delicately, slowly reaching a hand to wipe away the dampness on his son's right cheek. Not before long, he breathed a sigh of relief when Mafuyu loosened his grip on Yuki's clothes, seeing the boy weep that doused the remaining flames of his anger. Haruki apologetically wrapped the boy in his arms and embraced his child's comforting warmth, hugging the smaller one's body close to his own, feeling each precious throb of Mafuyu's heartbeat he could almost hear the _thump thump thump_ amidst the noise of the city streets.

"Yoshida-kun, you'll be visiting the shelter this weekend, right?" the father asked as he rubbed the little one's back, waiting for his boy's hiccuping sobs to cease.

"Yeah. Friday and Saturday, I'll be there," he answered with certainty, letting the words linger in the air and seep thoroughly into Mafuyu's listening ears.

"Good," Haruki nodded, hinting permission for Yuki to excuse himself and head to his extra lessons regardless of the current time.

"Um, I'm going to class now or I'll be late," the high school boy said casually and started backpedaling away from the crying child. "Weekend, I promise," Yuki repeated and gave one last look at his small friend before turning his heels, resuming his course in the opposite direction and leaving the rest to Haruki's gentle hands.  
  


***  
  


2

West Neighborhood  
  


The person's face contorted into gourmet euphoria as he took another bite of his second homemade macaron, its color was a bright shade of pumpkin orange and decorated with royal icing that formed a wicked smiling face. Seated across him at the dining table was his friend Akihiko who watched him impatiently with a deadpan expression, then the man eyed his boy Ritsuka minding his beginner's acoustic guitar in the Kaji household living area.

"Are you going back to your place now or continue showing samples of your weird faces for the rest of the night?"

"Mnf," Ugetsu moaned in delight as he chewed on the toothsome dessert, letting his friend's witty question fall on deaf ears. "These will definitely sell out at Suzuran. Haruki-san can count on that. And you know I don't even take sugary stuff that often."

"They're mainly for the _kids_ when they go trick-or-treating on Halloween next week. He wanted to know _Rikka's_ opinion on it," Akihiko reminded him flatly, counting four remaining confectioneries in the cardboard box and felt tempted to close the lid.

The content teacher finished his remaining bite and wiped his fingers on a small tissue napkin, "Thank you for the meal," he folded his hands in respect to the food then flashed a sweet grin. "Kids should also be wary of pesky cavities," he added, and the father set the box of treats away, far from his friend's reach.

Three off-tune twangs. 

The two adults swiveled their heads in Ritsuka's direction near the sofa, seeing the boy's knitted brows and his frustrated pouty mouth.

"Doing okay there, Ritsu?" Ugetsu asked from his seat.

"Uuuuuugh! Why is the D chord so hard to reach? Why not like C or G?" he whined cross-legged on the floor with this guitar songbook opened to the page of 'Let It Be' by The Beatles. "And my fingers are starting to hurt."

"Which part are you stuck with?" Akihiko gestured for his son to approach him at the dining table.

Ritsuka obeyed, leaving his book behind and eagerly handed the child-sized instrument to his father. "The switching part."

"Like this?" The man strummed the D chord and noticed the sound was slightly off-key. He adjusted one guitar peg and tried a second round. "So G, D, E minor, then C, right?" Akihiko strummed the third line of the first stanza while humming the lyrics. The boy studied his father's fingers attentively as they glided seamlessly along the narrow fretboard. Meanwhile, Ugetsu observed them with a smile from his seat, his elbows propped on the table as his chin rested on his folded hands.

"You loosen up your wrists and don't make your shoulders too stiff," the man said to his boy, patting his own body parts to show Ritsuka what he was referring to. "About the fingers hurting part, it's normal. Don't go Angry Bird on it. You also have to know if you're pushing down the strings too hard, that can also be why it hurts a lot too early."

"When you start getting tougher skin on your fingers, those are called 'calluses,'" Ugetsu added. "And that's also part of learning how to play guitar." 

"He's right. When the note sounds different, you figure out what you can do to fix the instrument. _Not_ by adding more pressure and strumming harder, got that? You'll figure out soon enough how to grip the neck more comfortably and how firmly you need to press on the strings."

"And if you're not careful, sometimes a string can also break," the teacher said further.

"It can??" Ritsuka stared wide-eyed at Ugetsu, then to his new guitar with a worried expression forming on his face. "What if it happens? It won't sound the same anymore."

"Then we'll get new ones, simple as that," Akihiko answered. "I'll show you this super-duper cool district at Ochanomizu where you'll get _dizzy_ just seeing how many music shops there are in one area of Tokyo."

"You can also meet other guitar players and learn tips from them so you can find your own technique," the other adult supplied.

"What's 'teck-neek'?"

The two adults exchanged a couple of blinks with each other, mentally tossing a water balloon back and forth until the object gloriously burst in Akihiko's hands.

"Your uh… _style_. Your own way of making music that you can have fun with," Ritsuka's father explained in simple terms while his friend nodded in support.

"Oh. Okay. _Teck-neek_ ," Ritsuka repeated the word to himself but looked as though he was chewing on a disliked vegetable. "Dad, can you play the rest of the song?"

A light bulb switched on in Akihiko's head and the man grabbed the irresistible chance to exact his revenge on his fellow adult companion. "Sure," he said propping the guitar more comfortably in his seat, "and did you _know_ , Ugetsu-niichan also has a nice singing voice."

The way his friend's glare shot daggers in his direction was sharp enough to impale his soul and beyond, but Akihiko came prepared and easily dodged the blow with a cheeky grin.

"Fine," Ugetsu sighed in (rare) defeat, eyeing the other bitterly who cocked his head toward Ritsuka's star-filled eyes, "only if your papa promises onii-chan another macaron."  
  


***  
  


Halloween Night  
  


3

Central Neighborhood  
  


What makes a good scare?

Is it the spirit itself, or the blood-curdling awareness of standing in an empty space, but knowing you're not alone? The eerie silence of the room before a ghost hand mysteriously appears out of nowhere through a solid wall? Seeing bloody footprints across the ceiling, or hearing footsteps along the corridors late at night? Glimpsing a floating pair of eyes in a dark tunnel, or sensing a cold poke on your back while calmly watching TV all by yourself?

Would you flee in desperate escape or stand utterly frozen in fear? Scream at the top of your lungs in complete horror?

Black-hooded figures holding long scythes with sharp blades passed by as Ruito pondered on these thoughts that late October evening, fully immersing himself among the Machida crowd wearing a child-like grin on his face. He heard a ghoulish laugh from a person's villainous-looking doll, then a sinister cackle from a witch mascot stationed at the front of a nearby store. Blinking lights of orange and purple decorated the signage and windows, flickering devil horn headbands sat happily atop some people's heads to match their red-themed costumes; Ruito's eyes seemed to glimmer themselves as he beheld the fascinating Halloween spectacle right in front of him, weaving among the monsters and aliens, zombies and headless ghosts that now roamed the once-mundane city streets and neighborhoods of west-side Tokyo City.

"See no evil," Haruki pointed at Ugetsu's black-sequined masquerade mask that hid his eyes, "hear no evil," he moved next to Ruito's eerily realistic living corpse make-up with a disturbing amount of fake blood running down the sides of his face and neck, "speak no evil," he pointed last to Akihiko who was wearing a fanged menpou mask covering the lower half of his face.

Meanwhile, his son Mafuyu waved a simple 'hi' to his playmate Ritsuka who was also aptly dressed for the occasion with his three adult chaperones, wearing a glow-in-the-dark skeleton onesie with the hood fitted over his head.

"Well _close_ ," Ruito said as his black sclera contact lenses dug graveyard holes into Haruki's jittery soul. "I'm a walking corpse, Aki's a demon, and Ugetsu is a crow."

" _Raven_ ," Ugetsu corrected without missing a beat, looking sleek in his all-black outfit that resembled more of a Vogue streetwear catalog than a creepy Halloween costume. "I'm a walking poem by Edgar Allan Poe."

"We thought you'd be in a costume too," the half-demon Akihiko noted Haruki's usual clothing of a simple sweater and a cozy cardigan, noting the man's mauve trousers were a similar shade to the macarons he sampled with Ritsuka last week.

"I already got off my shift and uh… dressed-up for the event long enough," Haruki said queasily, sliding off the topic with a wave of his hand. 

"Oooh, Haruki-san what did you wear?" Ruito pried.

"No, please don't ask," the other replied, pinching the bridge of his nose to nurse his sudden migraine with a faint blush in his cheeks, "nevermore, nevermore."

"And who is this new friend we have here," the black-clad raven Ugetsu crouched down to meet the curious gaze of a boy standing next to Haruki, fawning over the child's warm brown orbs that instantly melted his heart.

"Hello," the boy greeted with his soft-spoken voice and gave a shy bow. "I'm Mafuyu." 

"Why hello Mafuyu-chan. I'm Ugetsu-niichan," the man said, sliding up his glittery masquerade mask to properly introduce himself to the well-behaved boy. He softly patted the little one's head and earned a tiny smile on the child's face. "Aww, lookie you, so tiny and quiet. You'd look absolutely adorable in an elf or hobbit outfit, I bet. And this _lovely hair_ , why you're like a russet potato. I want to smother you in cheese and bake you in the oven so I can gobble you up!" he enthused with a bright grin.

"That sounds _wrong_ ," Ruito expressed deep worry for his spouse. 

"See, this is why I never leave Ritsuka alone with him," Akihiko spoke, all the while being completely ignored by Ugetsu who was busying himself pinching Mafuyu's smooth plump cheeks.

"Hey there. You're a little quiet yourself, Mr. Funny Bones." Haruki tilted his head to an unusually silent Ritsuka, noting how the child's blue orbs ogled nervously at the scarier costumes around him as they stood in the central plaza. "You okay, Ritsuka-chan?"

"Aww. Come here, Rui-nii will protect you from the monsters, 'kay?" Ruito cooed and took the pale-looking boy's hand and gave a corpse-friendly smile, "Ugetsu-niichan was only joking, don't fret. He's not going to turn cannibal and eat Mafuyu-chan so rest easy, eh?"

Ritsuka grasped his small Trick-or-Treat basket tighter with his other hand, still a bit hesitant to explore the buzzing Halloween crowd. And yet, seeing Ruito's easygoing nature made him reconsider his worries and that everything would be okay; Ritsuka told himself that as long as his adult friend kept him company, everything will surely, definitely, positively, Asahi-Ruito-certainly _be okay_ and he could enjoy the mid-autumn festivity.

"Oh! Want to see the awesome Ghibli folks over there? Ah! I can see No-Face!" the man chirped and slowly guided his smaller friend to blend-in with the throng of costumed people roaming around the spacious plaza.

Passing by a group of teenagers wearing a common outfit, Ritsuka averted his eyes from their Guy Fawkes masks that eerily swiveled along as he and Ruito strolled by. A party of bloodied nurses and doctors waved at him and slipped a couple of chocolates inside his basket, some fairy tale princesses freely gushed at his comfy glow-in-the-dark wardrobe. Soon enough, he encountered performing sentai heroes and storm troopers dancing along the sidewalks, even cute Mario-attired children with their mushroom hats and Ritsuka realized his mouth was already curled upward into a smile. 

"Not so scary, right?" Ruito flashed a half-dead grin. 

The child nodded in his hooded onesie, swinging his free arm at his side, hearing the crinkle of candy wrappers tumbling inside his small basket that slowly added a light spring in his step. It wasn't _so_ bad, he thought. They weren't _that_ scary, and some of them even looked cool and unexpectedly friendly. Yep, little Ritsuka was sure he wasn't a scaredy-cat at all that night and knew his Rui-nii was right all along. He wasn't creeped out by the macabre characters loitering around him; they were only people wearing creative costumes with sweets hidden in their pockets, and if he was bold enough to say the magic words, he could fill his basket with wonderful treats and share it with his dad and close friends.

So far in his side of the world, everything was surely, definitely, positively A-okay and Ritsuka discovered his growing fascination with the Machida crowd, thinking maybe he could even face the scariest character out there in the neighborhood and not even bother to scream.

"OH LOOK, IT'S PENNYWISE THE CLOWN! AND HE'S GIVING OUT LOTS OF CANDY! QUICK, LET'S GET CLOSER TO HIM!" Ruito suddenly exclaimed in pure thrill and excitement.

Before Ritsuka could take another step, his feet left the ground as he found himself scooped up in the man's arms, then hurriedly whisked away across the wide-open area; his head pressed a million panic buttons all at once as Ruito carried him closer and closer to the front of a small book shop, spotting the twistedly evil character holding a set of balloons and pleasantly grinning in his white and red make-up.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!" the boy shrieked desperately on top of his lungs, but unfortunately lacked a proper rescue team to come to his aid.

Akihiko and Ugetsu clutched at their stomachs as they hooted in laughter, not even bothered to help the screaming child at all; Haruki was left speechless at the horrific kidnap situation, torn whether he should run after the too-overjoyed Ruito or not; Mafuyu hardly moved from his place next to Ugetsu and merely bid his playmate farewell, waving his small hand as he calmly watched his dear-but-helpless friend meet his Halloween doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- [The Raven.](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48860/the-raven)  
> \- 01/09/20: Updated previous chapters.


	10. Chapter 10

Mid-November  
  


1

West Neighborhood  
  


" _Step Two: Wrap ball of foot twice to secure cloth bandage in place. Make sure to leave half an inch to overlap in previous layer,_ " Akihiko read aloud from his phone as Ugetsu executed the instructions to properly wrap Ruito's injured right ankle. " _Step Three: Work towards the ankle. Bring bandage to outer side of foot, under the arch to the inner side of foot and back around the ankle. Repeat the figure 8 several times for proper stability._ "

Ruito observed his partner managing the bandage around his sprain in amusement rather than in pain, hands shoved into his jacket pockets for warmth from the continuously dropping temperatures of mid-November. Concentrating on Akihiko's lackluster narrating voice, Ugetsu continued rolling the strip of cloth around his husband's foot while ignoring the man's owlish stare, his touches careful and certain without a single wrinkle on his work.

" _Lastly, Step Four: Wrap several times around ankle for proper support and use metal fasteners to secure bandage in place._ "

The teacher finished the procedure and stood up from his seat to study the outcome of his first-aid treatment. "That was a lot less complicated than I thought," he said, propping one hand on his hip while Akihiko tucked away his phone in his pocket.

"You did splendidly," Ruito said from his stationed spot on the sofa with his right leg rested on three stacked cushions to immobilize his injury. He had a Shakespeare book and his gadgets on his left; on the coffee table sat a small tray carrying some painkillers and a fresh glass of water. Though he was currently in a less fortunate situation compared to his two companions, his mood was barely trampled over by his clumsy mishap the previous night.

"The educator is now educated." Akihiko regarded Ugetsu from his barstool at the counter, watching his friend interacting with Ruito in the living area as though viewing a live sitcom show. "Good thing you didn't go out that time or it would've been more disastrous."

"I thought he was only moving some stuff around while I was in our room. He didn't even call out for help when he fell and tried to hobble by himself to the sofa, this idiot." Ugetsu pinched the bridge of his nose as he recalled the incident while Ruito frowned at the 'Low Battery' sign on his phone. The teacher sighed and gestured for his spouse to hand him his gadget and located the phone charger in a faraway corner of the room.

"I thought you were already asleep so I didn't want to shout and wake the neighbors," the violist reasoned stubbornly as he propped his computer on his lap and woke it from hibernation. "And it's only a minor sprain. It'll heal in a few days! Won't be too long until I'm skipping around or driving again so that's good, right?"

"Give it _at least_ a week, Rui," his annoyed husband reminded him in concern while checking the freezer if they still have enough ice for the man's cold compress. "Unless you want a twin sprain on your _other_ ankle and learn how to handstand around the house."

"Yeah, that'd be worse. Ugetsu's small and can't carry you to places so he'd have to drag you instead," Akihiko said and his shorter friend narrowed his eyes at him. "What was he trying to reach again?"

"Our engagement album. It was in a box on top of the shelf and he reached for the nearest thing he could stand on which—unfortunately—was my office chair."

The blonde man pieced together the clues in his head and finally got the bigger picture of last night's event.

"Someone retweeted the Uemura couple's prenup video last night and it made me nostalgic!" Ruito cried while his husband resisted throwing an ice cube at his head. "Have you guys seen it, by the way? The cinematic quality looks _legit_. Take-san did a superb job. Come come, gentlemen. Get your pert tooshies over here and join me on my lovely throne," he batted his hand invitingly at Ugetsu and Akihiko, beckoning the two men to join him on the plush living room furniture without complaint.

"A charming pair, I have to say," Ugetsu said, warmly sandwiched between his two taller companions, moving his hand over the laptop finger pad. He scrolled down leisurely as the prenuptial photos displayed one by one on the web page; a series of elegantly curated photos of the engaged couple in a peaceful nature spot with the urban Tokyo landscape in the background. Some were shots of the pair strolling along a grassy pathway with the focus on their entwined fingers, others were done in off-center shots of the two gazing at each other's eyes with the sunlight casting a hazy ethereal effect on their tender facial expressions. For a couple of moments, the three friends sat in comfy silence as they browsed the high-resolution pictures, letting the endearing smiles and cozy-looking hugs of the couple fill the living room with a sweet wedding atmosphere.

"Strangely, I find the black and white ones more touching," Akihiko added, noting one particular side shot of the bride-to-be hugging his fiancée from behind. The young woman was facing the camera with a playful smile on her lips, while her taller groom-to-be tried to hide his shy expression with the back of his hand.

"Don't you just love it when you can practically hear people's happy emotions only by looking at their photos? Absolutely incredible and heartwarming. Delightfully contagious," Ruito gushed. "You know, when our friends are also officially ready to tie the knot, we already have a good idea who we'll recommend as their photographer," he said to Ugetsu at his left.

"Makes you wonder if Yayoi-san is also ready to say yes by this time, no?" the spouse replied, sneaking a quick kiss on Ruito's shoulder as he retreated his hand from the laptop finger pad. Ugetsu nuzzled his man's neck and the other responded with a gentle touch of their noses, his sprained ankle incident a mere trifle to their romantic mood.

 _'And the only way to know is to ask. Right, Take-san?'_ Akihiko thought, readily taking over Ruito's laptop as his two friends started cuddling without a hint of embarrassment by his presence, scrolling further down the blog post where the Uemura couple gave their generous thanks to the highly-sought independent wedding photographer Yatake Kouji.  
  


***  
  


2

Central Neighborhood  
  


There was a ding of the order bell, then a cheerful greeting of the cashier. He heard the clack of food trays being stacked by the clean-up crew and the crinkling of paper as customers unwrapped their freshly-made greasy burgers. Haruki surreptitiously sipped his drink while watching two schoolboys eating at a window-side table of the fast-food joint; one had bleached blonde hair with growing dark roots, and his friend was a darker-haired boy with lidded eyes and taller height. They seemed to be half-way into their meal, chatting idly as the shorter teen scribbled on a notepad from time to time. After finding his own carton of fries empty, his schoolmate tipped the rest of his own on the other's tray and leaned back with a carefree shrug.

"Are you done retrieving your soul from the dead now?" Haruki asked his best friend who looked as though he was sleeping on his forearms on their table.

"She resembles her mom." Kouji sounded almost close to tears, his ordered smoothie only one-third finished near his elbow on the table. "I've only met them a couple of times before and I thought her father was going to yell at me. Then he started crying and it was so awkward and her mom was so cute trying to calm him down." 

"Now that you've got that done and over with, give yourself a pat on the back for it at least? And all that's left is… you know," he trailed off, knowing his friend already understood what he meant. "Are you going to do the one-knee thing?"

Kouji tasted of his beverage, realizing his cold drink was a wrong choice for a 12°C November weather. "That's the number one thing I'm sure of that I _won't_ do," he made a sour face.

"EH. Why not?"

"See, one time we were watching a romance flick at home. When the main guy proposed to the girl, he did _exactly_ that and she said it was too flashy for her." Kouji clearly recalled the memory in his head. It was a few days before they had that small quarrel several weeks ago; when he had canceled another lunch date they had planned in advance; the same day he managed to meet up with Haruki's sister in Ginza who had helped him window-shop through several jewelry boutiques for months around Tokyo.

"Because her work already involves being surrounded by lots of people, I guess that makes sense?" Haruki said while his best friend snorted in his seat. "You know these proposal videos becoming a thing nowadays? It's absolutely mind-blowing how some people think of special ways to pop the question. Do you have all the words in your head or just wing it when the moment arrives? Is it written down somewhere? Oh! Do you need practice?"

"Hmm, too bad I can't do a Kaji Akihiko voice." the other crossed his arms with a knowing smirk.

"That's not what I meant!" Haruki dramatically facepalmed with blushing cheeks and the other man quietly sipped his icy cold drink.  
  
  


East Neighborhood  
  


"I'm back," Kouji called as he closed the door of the apartment, immediately hearing the TV echoing from across the hall and a familiar citrus scent of fabric softener wafting from the utility room. He slid off his light satchel bag and hung his jacket on a coat peg at the genkan, then settled his bag beside his working desk in his mini office room. The time on his wall clock read a few minutes after 7 p.m., telling him that there was still a few hours left before the day would end; still with plenty of time to gather his thoughts, maybe freshen up a bit first, before saying a few simple words to his significant other that would most likely embed into his memory for the rest of his life.

He slipped into the bathroom and washed his face, rinsed his mouth and took a few steady breaths to calm his racing heartbeat. Running a few practiced lines in his head, the more Kouji felt his mouth was being stuffed with cotton, losing the words he wanted to say by the pesky doubts festering somewhere in his chest. The man sighed and dried his face, slipping back his eyeglasses and left the bathroom, switching off the light and not even once checking his own reflection in the mirror.

Following the sound of voices from the television, Kouji padded to the living area of the apartment where he found Yayoi surrounded in a nest of freshly dried clothes, immersed in watching an idol-studded program as she worked on her not-so-favorite laundry chores.

After cackling at the humorous commentary by the hosts of the variety show, her eyes met his gaze and flashed an easygoing smile, welcoming his presence in the room. "Hi," she greeted, sorting their clothes into two piles at an easygoing pace; her hair was tied in a low side ponytail with a polka-dot scrunchie, the Minnie Mouse print on her T-shirt was already slightly faded, her leisure shorts rode high up her thighs that would be considered 'tantalizing' for any magazine as she sat unguardedly cross-legged on the sofa.

Kouji smiled as he made his way to the fridge for a glass of water, admiring the view of a laid-back woman he loved doing house errands on their furniture, almost too comfortable, he thought; almost too perfect in the man's eyes that he could nearly taste the 'I do' on his partner's curled lips as she watched TV, folding their clothes as though they have been together for decades and already calling her 'my wife'.

He fished out his phone and opened the camera app, switching to video mode and aiming the lens at his long-time girlfriend then pressed the record button. "And here we have the rare species called the captivating Uenoyama Yayoi in her natural habitat," he narrated in poised rapport as he approached his subject cautiously from their kitchen area. "The female huntress is a stealthy creature of the night, using her dark and shiny locks to seduce her victims into a trance. This beautiful, yet deadly, omnivore also uses a piercing cry to scare off her potential predators called the witchy laugh. The sound reaches about 45 decibels and can easily be heard from two to three houses away, similar to a cat yowling in your neighborhood at 1 o'clock in the morning."

The woman finally noticed Kouji's phone camera aimed at her direction and stared for a couple of seconds before realizing her boyfriend wasn't merely snapping a photo of her in their ample living space. "What are you up to?" She arched an eyebrow at him with her mouth in a suspicious pout.

"Her choice of camouflage this evening is a swampy green shirt with a cunning face pattern to confuse her enemies; a favorite choice for self-defense that she has worn several times for the past two years." Kouji smirked when Yayoi paused folding her laundry and gave him a displeased look.

"Hah! You're making fun of my shirt. Funny of you to point that out when all my bras and undies are still in mint condition, unlike the garters of your briefs that are already curling like bacon." She proudly displayed a clean pair of man-briefs at the camera to show evidence of her point.

"Leave my bacon-y underwear alone," the man protested and Yayoi merely replied with a sassy smile, folding the article of clothing with skillful grace and set it neatly on Kouji's pile of freshly folded laundry.

"When you're done recording your shenanigans, you can start working on the thawed chicken I pulled out from the freezer earlier," she said, focusing back to her television show, her hands working on the remaining one-third of sorted clothes that were ready to be stashed in their closets.

"What do you want for dinner?" he asked, still not pressing the 'Stop' button just yet, soaking in the relaxing moment pretending he had nothing else important nagging at him in his mind.

"I'm foreseeing… chicken parm," she smiled and Kouji swore he was going to replay that part of the video several times afterward on his phone.

"Okay, no problem. I have a request though before I start in the kitchen."

"What," Yayoi blinked curiously at the camera.

 _'Marry me,'_ Kouji thought. "Do a hair flip first," he answered.

"Huh."

"Just one, like the time you practiced for the hair commercial," he made puppy eyes and Yayoi freely snorted in her seat. When she saw Kouji still not putting down his phone, she obliged at long last and pulled off the scrunchie from her hair. Gathering her sleek dark locks to one side of her face, she turned her head away from the camera to ready her position. At the count of three, she whipped her head towards her boyfriend's camera in an elegant twirl, her hair spilling in a beautiful fluid curtain of ebony until all the locks followed the force of gravity and landed in a dramatic splash at the opposite of her face.

"Yeowch! The huntress has slain another helpless victim," Kouji swooned behind his recording phone camera.

"Go start on dinner or I'm going to turn into a hungry creature of the night _for real!_ " she told him in between her hearty chuckles, her cheeks lightly dusted with a rosy pink hue.

"Fine fine." The man ended his video recording then stashed his phone away in his back pocket, leaving his rehearsed lines back to a jumble of incoherent words in his head; the small velvet ring box stashed inside his bag in the office room a forgotten trinket he didn't even touch.  
  


***  
  


3

Central Neighborhood  
  


Elaborate floral accessories decorated the neatly styled tresses of little girls as they shuffled along the sidewalk in their vibrant kimonos; beautifully printed haori jackets draped the shoulders of little boys as they walked proudly in their first formal hakamas.

At every corner of the neighborhood, Ritsuka saw similar-aged youngsters like him wearing traditional clothes and carrying shiny pouches with content smiles on their faces, parading with their parents as they headed to a nearby Shinto shrine. He realized he had no memory of having worn those kinds of clothes before and wondered how it would feel to don those fancy fabrics. Would it be cozy or uncomfortable? Do the boys put it on by themselves? Does it have secret pockets to hide toys in them? Would he also look cool if he wore one himself?

The boy continued his quiet observations as he made his way to the park with Mafuyu that clear-skied weekend with their fathers and a small dog leisurely trailing behind them. "Dad, why are there many kids dressed up nice and going to the shrine?" he asked Akihiko who was wearing a loose muffler around his neck that mid-autumn morning.

"It's Shichi-Go-San today, Bud," he replied walking next to Mafuyu's parent. "They're going to the temple to get blessings from the priest. When you turn three, five, and seven years old, you receive gifts from the shrine so you'll grow healthy and happy…" Akihiko hesitated to continue his line and Haruki's worried look already seemed to know why.

"How come I don't remember visiting last year?" Ritsuka asked, peering at his father from behind his shoulder while Mafuyu guided him to make sure he wouldn't bump into a street post as they continued their stroll.

"Ah, that's because… " The father had an uneasy expression but the child waited patiently for the man to finish his sentence. "Papa had work that time, Rikka. We weren't able to visit. I'm sorry about that."

Mafuyu tugged at Ritsuka's arm to veer his playmate away from colliding with a passer-by striding in his opposite direction, keeping silent as his friend and Akihiko continued their talk.

"Did Haruki-san visit the shrine last year?" the other boy turned his head to face Mafuyu's father as the morning sun shone a gold halo on his jet black hair. He seemed hardly preoccupied with where he stepped on the pavement, letting his friend lead him freely along their route to the park.

"We did, but Mafuyu wasn't able to wear a hakama yet. We just visited at our own time and watched the ceremony," Haruki answered while giving a little smile to his own child. "We can still visit the shrine if you want. It doesn't really matter if you're three or five nowadays. Even if you're four or six, your Papa can still take you to see the temple and get blessings," he told Ritsuka, then hinted encouragingly to his fellow parent.

"We can?? Dad, can we go?"

"I want to go," Mafuyu chimed in, pausing his steps a few paces from the last block across the open park; the wide lot was unusually more populated that day with parents happily snapping photos of their dressed children with the vibrant autumn trees in the background.

A bush warbler chirped and shook a tree branch as it took flight, shaking off a couple of leaves that caught Ritsuka's attention. The boy's gaze followed a half-orange maple leaf as it fluttered in the faint breeze, leading his focus away from the neighborhood park. The leaf glided through the air past a procession of telephone poles with their set of taut horizontal wires akin to the staves of a music score. He heard the laughter of children from across the street and the occasional coaxing of parents as they praised and complimented their kids in their lovely wardrobes, not noticing Mafuyu was reaching into his own coat pocket to pull out a little gift.

"Here. I almost forgot," his friend said, holding up a lollipop wrapped in shiny cellophane paper, grasping the stick with two hands like holding a small red microphone. "Dad told me to give you one when we left our house."

"What flavor is it?" Ritsuka raised an eyebrow warily, a bit doubtful if Mafuyu honestly wanted to give away the piece of candy.

"Cherry."

The boy wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Ehh I don't like cherry," he blurted and his friend's mouth curled down into a disappointed frown. "Fine, I'll still take it," he acquiesced two seconds after and Mafuyu's lips curled upward into an elated smile then placed the lollipop in the boy's hand.

"How about it, Akihiko?" Haruki asked with his kind voice that sounded as comforting as his son's pleased grin. He was wearing a muffler now, which Ritsuka swore was around his father's neck a moment ago; the indigo blue shade of the fabric contrasting the person's maroon sweater underneath his coat.

"Yep, sounds good," the other approved easily and offered a hand to his own little man.

Ritsuka held it gratefully, letting the heat of Akihiko's palm warm his cold fingers as they switched their direction away from the park. Following Haruki and Mafuyu's lead to a different street, he saw more boys wearing hakamas and fancy-looking haori jackets ambling with their parents further into the local neighborhood. Compared to the other kids, he looked quite underdressed for the special occasion but kept walking with his father nonetheless.

Seeing the yellow-orange leaves falling like plum and cherry blossoms in spring, Ritsuka recalled Akihiko's answer that one night in April while they were taking their bath, when he had asked if the two would them would be by themselves even as time flew by. He regarded his view of Haruki's and Mafuyu's backs (and a swishing poofy tail of a Pomeranian pup) as they led a few paces ahead to the nearby shrine, letting his father's words echo with certainty in his head. 'It won't just be us forever,' he clearly remembered and proudly dressed himself with a mere content smile, then started adding an extra zest in his steps as he caught sight of the symbolic torii gates a few meters away; the distinct red shade of the pillars as vivid as the lollipop his playmate had given him that quietly sat inside his coat pocket, waiting to be eaten later.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- **Mild smut content in this chapter.**  
>  \- 'Kouji' minus the 'K' --> 'ouji' means 'prince'. Please excuse the mushy nickname born in this part of the story.  
> 

Early December  
  


1

Central Neighborhood  
  


The bedroom light fixture was a perfect square on the ceiling from Akihiko's lying position on the futon, reminding him of the origami paper Ritsuka and Mafuyu played with earlier that day when they decorated their classrooms with paper snowflakes to welcome the winter season. From his sleeping spot in one corner of the room, he had a clear view of the night light plugged in its socket that cast a cozy amber glow over the two sleeping children in their mattresses. His boy Ritsuka had his arms spread at his sides seemingly asking for a hug, whilst Mafuyu snoozed next to him curled into a tight ball hugging a pillow that was as big as his height. Not far from the two boys was the presence of a white puff of fur that could easily be mistaken as a plush toy; the equally quiet company of Mafuyu's loyal pup Kedama rested snugly in his own warm bed.

"Here, I'm sending you the socks photo," he said softly to Haruki at his left, opening the photo gallery app in his phone to send the recent picture he took of the two children that early December evening; a candid snap of the boys showing their matching toe socks with tiny music notes printed on them. Both were sitting on the floor with their legs splayed out, their attention was drawn to their feet as they wiggled their toes and waited for Akihiko's camera to capture the random heartwarming moment.

"Ah, got it. Thanks," the other father said beside him quietly, his right shoulder touching Akihiko's own as they laid side by side on a joined futon spread placed a few steps away from their sleeping kids. "You know, Mafuyu already asked if Santa was going to visit and give him presents again this Christmas as soon as he saw the December calendar in the kitchen. The reality hit me like a truck; the holiday season is coming up again and I haven't even started on my shopping list."

"Ritsuka hasn't mentioned anything about that yet," Akihiko spoke as he propped himself on his side to properly see Haruki's face in the faintly-lit room, "but I have a good idea what kind of stuff he'll ask from Santa this year."

"Something music-related, I'm guessing?" Haruki supplied, not bothered by the closeness of their faces as they talked in hushed voices.

"Either a pair of fancy headphones or a bunch of CDs, but it's only a hunch."

"Oh, I saw this handy pick puncher one time at a store. That'd be useful too, I think."

"Not bad. I have to remember that," the taller man said, feeling his partner's breaths warming his chest through his thin nightshirt. "Maybe Mafuyu will ask for something similar this year. He's also getting interested in music from Rikka; it gives them something to work on while they're not in school."

"Exploring hobbies, you mean?"

"Yeah. Finding a pastime, discovering a passion. Who knows they could be a band when they grow up."

"And write songs about anything they can come up with like youth and school life and growing up." Haruki smiled, nuzzling his face into his pillow to cover his slightly warm face. _'Or falling in love,'_ he wanted to add as he felt Akihiko's eyes staring at him in his periphery.

"I didn't know you were also in a band when you were a student."

"Ahhh, nnn. I played bass for a bit. I heard from Ritsuka-chan you were a drummer too and he was so cute trying to imitate you one time. He was doing these adorable sounds and Mafuyu was clueless what he was looking at. I should've recorded that."

Akihiko stifled a loud chuckle and Haruki thought his heart was riding on a chain swing, happily reaching the skies forward and backward with the exciting rush of the wind.

"There was a time he wondered who should sing if the two of them will form a band when they grow up." The other man shifted a few inches closer to Haruki's side, closing the few remaining spaces between their bodies underneath the warm covers of their shared bed. "And I asked him if he was going to be the vocalist, what would he sing about."

"Well? What did he say?" Haruki asked, dampening his slightly chapped lips.

"He didn't know. He wasn't sure yet and thought maybe Mafuyu had better ideas, I told him that was fine. Then Rikka asked what I'd write if I were to compose a song lyric; I said maybe I'd write about normal daily things. He asked 'What about love?' and I said 'Okay, that's fine too but how would you write about it?'" Akihiko said while the other patiently listened. "I was only testing him a bit since the question was a little abstract and thought the little man would give some random senseless answer, but he took time to think for maybe 5 seconds, then he said 'I think I'd write about love like how Papa spends time with Haruki-san.'"

Tiny butterflies fluttered in Haruki's stomach as he heard his partner's story, suddenly aching to press his body against Akihiko's own as his heart started beating louder and louder in his ears. "Um… ooookay, that's uh… that's sweet of Ritsuka-chan. He's a pretty observant kid, color me surprised ahahaha…" he tittered awkwardly, barely keeping himself together no thanks to the frustratingly alluring physique of the person next to him. "Then what did you say after that?"

"I don't know. I can't remember, actually," Ritsuka's father said, his green eyes drawn to the other's slightly parted lips. "Maybe I got distracted for a bit that time."

"You don't or you can't? Which one is it?" Haruki whispered, trying to keep even breaths as he began tugging Akihiko's shirt to pull the man closer to him; slowly, shyly, secretively, as though the whole world was watching their every move.

"Maybe neither," his partner answered and finally leaned down to meet Haruki's mouth with his own, locking their lips with a content sigh, tasting fresh mint on the other's tongue.

The overwhelmed man tilted his head willingly to deepen their kiss, carefully cradling the sides of Akihiko's face as he led a soft moan. He arched his back when he felt a hand gently grazing down his chest and slipping underneath his shirt, allowing the heated palm to knead his flesh and made him crave for more. But before he could indulge himself further, he heard the grumbling voice of Ritsuka in his futon and whipped his head towards the direction of the boy in sheer panic, Akihiko's deft fingers in abrupt pause around his right nipple.

Akihiko's sleeping boy merely rolled over to his side, stretching his free leg over a discarded pillow near Mafuyu's tiny form, his blue toe socks in full display as it poked outside of his thick comforter. The two single fathers sighed in relief and shared a hushed chuckle, pressing their foreheads together as they savored the adrenaline rush and gave each other one heart-tingling goodnight kiss with a clear puckered sound from their lips.

"Told you this sleepover was a great idea," Akihiko said, making Haruki grab a nearby plush toy and smushing it thoroughly in the other's face.  
  


***  
  


2

West Neighborhood  
  


"Have you seen my cufflinks, love?"

Ugetsu closed the bathroom sink faucet after rinsing his face and grabbed his embroidered face towel hanging on the nearby hook. He sighed, wishing the soft fabric could also dry away his tiredness from school that day; the fateful period of December when teachers had to finish rounding up their students' grades after term-end exams for submission and deliberation by the upper faculty. "Have you checked the dresser drawer?"

"I found yours—the onyx moon ones, but not mine," Ruito's voice echoed from the open bathroom door while Ugetsu examined his face on their wide sink mirror; only a mild shadow under his eyes that a few nights of good sleep and a dab of eye cream could fix, the rest of his complexion remained fairly decent and blemish-free. _'Hang in there for three more weeks,'_ he told himself, looking forward to the holiday break when he can stay in bed for a couple of hours longer and not worry about boring meetings with the faculty every morning.

"Are you sure it's not around in there?" his spouse said again, this time a bit more muffed, which meant the man was in a further corner of their bedroom.

"I don't know," Ugetsu answered while unfastening the buttons of his shirt, waiting to hear his husband's footsteps on their hardwood floor. "Wait, I think I found them," he quickly followed, shrugging off his top and lazily tossing it into the laundry hamper behind him but missed. The teacher merely batted his eyelashes at the fallen clothing on the floor and counted a few seconds for his man to join him in the bathroom.

"Oh thank goodness. I thought I left them in my luggage somewhere and I panicked when they weren't there and I thought—why _hello._ " Ruito laid eyes on his topless husband stationed enticingly in front of their sink mirror.

"My mistake, they're your old ones," Ugetsu said, facing his spouse from behind his shoulder as he put away a pair of knot-styled cufflinks in a jewelry box where they kept their old accessories. "Maybe I'll help you look for it after my bath."

Ruito approached with inaudible steps as he walked barefoot on their spotless bathroom floor, joining the half-dressed man in front of the mirror to admire their reflections and placed his hands on Ugetsu's hips.

"Why no need, love," he said in a low voice next to his husband's ear as his hands slowly traveled to the back of the other's pants, cupping his partner's hind cheeks and slipped his hands inside the trouser pockets, "I already found what I'm looking for." He pulled out a pair of gold cufflinks that matched his husband's pair but with an etched image of the sun, catching Ugetsu's passive expression while he quietly stashed the tiny objects away in his own clothing.

"For someone who's getting ready for a bath, you're still pretty covered up, don’t you think?" Ruito then slowly unbuckled the younger one's belt while watching it in the mirror, undoing the prong and sliding off the leather strap from the belt loop. Then he proceeded to unbutton the other's trousers and pulled down the zipper, his eyes still trained on their reflections, noting the stoic line of the other's mouth. "Well then, I'm going to finish packing my stuff now," he whispered but before he could take a step back, his partner grabbed his wrists and kept him in his place.

"You're not yet done," the still-partially-disrobed teacher said, his gaze fixed on the mirror before them. He eased Ruito's hands to his own hips, letting the violist's nimble fingers stroke the waistband of his trousers and undergarment.

Ruito admired their figures in the wide sink mirror, seeing the rosy tint blush on Ugetsu's pale moon-kissed skin. He pressed his cheek against the smaller one's hair, sniffing jasmine and wildflowers in his dark locks, letting the deep herbaceous scent spark his lust that grew into a small flame. "Too bad I already took a shower," he said in a sultry tone as he hooked his thumbs readily at the waistband of Ugetsu's remaining bottom clothes.

"I don't care. Get in the tub with me."

"Nnn, maybe another night," Ruito replied, his thumb and fingers still not moving from the other's waist.

"Thus the sun and moon never met in the same sky," his spouse said flatly, reaching up to gingerly remove the man's new pair of eyeglasses and setting them down on the marble sink.

"Au contraire. Though the sun and moon sit on opposite sides of the Earth, people tend to forget the giant ball of fire in our solar system is also one enormous _star_."

"Funny, that's sounds similar to your line when you proposed last year." Ugetsu thumbed over the white gold band on Ruito's left ring finger with a slight curl on his lips. Though he stayed calm in his spooned position against his husband's back, in truth he was dying to rip the other's clothes off and drag him to the tub and leave the packing errand for later.

"Ah, our little romantic dinner in a quiet residential area in Rome. The lamb was succulent, the wine was exquisite, the cozy ambiance of the friendly people made the food taste all the more delectable in every bite," he reminisced fondly, nuzzling his partner's hair and watching Ugetsu close his eyes in their reflections on the polished glass. "And the best part of that night was how irresistibly _gorgeous_ the moon looked in the dark sky; a perfect silver disc that you could almost pick out from the heavens like a shiny coin."

The weary teacher leaned his head back on Ruito's shoulder as he listened to his husband's soft voice lulling him in seductive rapture, almost forgetting that his bottom clothes were already being tugged down slowly past his hip bone, easing its way down to the curve of his rear.

"A mesmerizing celestial body," the violist whispered as he continued to pull downward until the garments reached below Ugetsu's thighs and let them fall into a mound of fabrics around the man's feet. "Sensuous… intriguing… and absolutely breathtaking."

Ugetsu felt the warmth in his face as he saw his naked image with Ruito's hazel eyes focused on his brown orbs in the reflection. His blush had now spread down to his neck all the way to his collarbones and upper chest, his erection at half-mast and in dire need of a stroke or a careful touch.

"Own it then," he said, struggling to control his heart from beating out of his chest. "Pluck the moon from the sky and own it."

Ruito obliged, guiding the other's face with a gentle hand and tilted his head to press their mouths together in a hungry kiss. The man wrapped one arm around Ugetsu's waist as he ravished the taste of his husband's lips, then slipped his tongue into the other's mouth and heard a satisfying moan. He smiled as he breathed through his nose, eventually moving his hand in between the other's thighs. Yielding to his partner's arousing whim, Ruito began working his fingers to pleasure his husband until the unclad man in all his fair-skinned beauty saw nebulas and galaxies behind his closed eyes.  
  


***  
  


Mid-December  
  


3

Main Tokyo  
  


Countless orbs sparkled in every branch of the zelkova trees that lined the streets of Minato Ward that December evening, bathing the city in enchanting periwinkle blue light. Cars drove by reflecting the illuminations on their windshields and windows, the glowing speckles on the dark glass akin to another galaxy in a vast universe of Christmas stars. In different corners of the popular shopping district, eye-catching facades of shops and buildings showed its enthusiasm for the upcoming holidays, their plethora of merry displays sure to bring a smile to any passer-by; some had frosted glass with drawn snowflakes and elegantly written holiday greetings, others preferred colorful holly wreaths with striking red ribbons; a quaint coffee shop opted for gold bells and candy canes that hung from improvised pine tree branches, while another café in the opposite street settled with a neat row of red and pink Poinsettia plants along its shop entryway.

But amidst the romantic glitter and seasonal cheer, one Uenoyama Yayoi was hardly noticing the festive atmosphere that certain evening as she weaved through the busy crowd of Tokyo locals dressed in comfy winter clothing. Keeping an even pace in her walk, she strode along the brightly-lit streets of Roppongi with a restless beat in her heart, keeping her eyes forward on the path ahead and not daring to look behind her back.

"Is he still there?" she asked discreetly to her partner who also paced briskly at her right, keeping the collar of her winter coat raised around her face.

Kouji glanced behind his shoulder pretending to appreciate the canopy of lights formed by the tree branches above their heads, quickly spotting an anonymous man wearing a beanie and a flu mask tailing them from a distance and the distinct shape of his camera hanging from his neck.

"Yup," he replied, noticing Yayoi's furrowed brows as she sighed in worry. "Want to split?"

"How? There are people everywhere, I don't want to cause a scene."

"Exactly, it's easier to lose him in a crowd," the man shoved his hands in his pockets to look unfazed, feeling the bulky shape of a tiny box in his right hand that was untimely to be pulled out at their inconvenient moment. "We can pass through the cross-bridge and dash to the train station. Nearest crowded place to confuse the guy, what do you say?"

"The car's parked at the agency building, that's the _opposite_ direction of where we're heading."

"Mmm, we'll make a roundtrip then," Kouji suggested, his easygoing tone soothing Yayoi's anxiousness dealing with an intrusive photographer tailing several paces behind them. "Or we can go mingle inside a mall. They usually don't enter establishments, right? Easy-peasy."

Yayoi bowed her head in guilt as they continued their walk. "Sorry for getting you tangled up in this. I shouldn't have asked to see the lights after work in the first place. Now I get my first paparazzo in the middle of Christmas festivities. We couldn’t even appreciate the lights for more than ten minutes even with all the other couples strolling by. Yay, me. So smart!" she flashed a bitter grin.

"Come on, you can't let that one guy stop you from going anywhere you want. We're a good block away from him riding with a crowd. He has a Nikon D1 with short-range 24-70 lenses. His back shots of a woman with long black hair walking along Roppongi are worth nil to any publisher," Kouji said, leading her to a right turn at a corner of a clothing boutique that led to a different area of the popular shopping district.

The woman followed, hoping their sudden change of direction went unnoticed by her stalking photographer, silently wishing she picked a coat with pockets to shove her cold hands into for warmth that night. If not for the unknown man's lurking presence, she would have already taken her boyfriend's hand to keep her fingers from turning frigid blue but that option was out of the question for the time being.

"You said we'll do a roundtrip?" Yayoi asked while keeping up with Kouji's pace. After passing by a cosmetics store, the man tugged on her coat sleeve to a narrow backstreet between two shops leading to a hardly noticed passageway camouflaged by the shinier buildings surrounding the urban area.

"We are, just an indirect one."

Question marks filled Yayoi's head as she obeyed Kouji's rather shady route, entering the slightly dimmer lane with only a few passers-by in view. Stepping further into the unfamiliar street, she found a few hole-in-the-wall bars lining the tight path, hearing the faint sound of customers chatting with the owners, sharing jokes and wild stories that spurred hearty laughs and friendly jeer. Lines of red and green paper lanterns hung like fresh apples between the street posts; icicle-shaped LED lights lining the shop awnings blinked in a cascade-effect pattern. Compared to the flashy spectacle along the main roads, Yayoi found the humbler scenery before her ironically more appealing; less flaunty, far less crowded—and best of all—no meddlesome photographers in sight.

"Here, put this on." Kouji draped his own parka jacket over Yayoi's shoulders and flipped the hood over her head. "There. No one will know it's you. Problem solved." He smiled, not minding his mere top clothing of a layered shirt and a pullover gray sweater.

"Are you crazy? You'll catch a cold, idiot." Yayoi pulled down the hood with a dissatisfied frown.

"Wear it until we get to the parking lot. It's only… eh, a couple of blocks away," he said, shoving his own hands into the pockets of his pants and suddenly stared at Yayoi as he realized a terrifically grave mistake that was done. He gaped at his jacket being worn by his girlfriend, eyeing the right front pocket that carried a small velvet box that had completely slipped his mind.

"You mean _five_ blocks away?" the woman quipped but noticed the uneasy expression on Kouji's face. "Okay, you look weird now. Don't tell me this street is haunted. Your face spells doom and I'm getting creeped out."

The tense-looking man tried not to lose his sanity while wearing merely two layers of clothing on a 9°C weather. He steeled his nerves and decided there was no going back, letting the universe enjoy watching him stumble over his own stupidity. "Naw, it's nothing like that. I um… I thought I saw the guy, but good thing he's not following you anymore."

"Oh." Yayoi glanced at the pathway behind them, seeing a quiet street without a soul to pry into their improvised route back to a parking lot five blocks away from where they stood. "Thank goodness he's gone. So much for asking to see the Christmas lights on this side of the city, huh. We should've just went back to Machida and appreciated the lights there instead."

"I don't mind, really. It's a different atmosphere here in the main area. I was expecting Omotesando to be less crowded but _man_ , everyone's picking up the holiday spirit earlier and earlier every year. Have you noticed that?"

"Heh. Last year you said it would be a bore. They're too cliché for romantic couples and you preferred seeing snow sculptures in January instead."

"Well… I… wanted to be _kinder_ this year, so Santa can also give me presents on Christmas Eve for being a gooooood boy," Kouji said and Yayoi chuckled heartily at his side, the way her eyes crinkled as she laughed easily lit up the man's heart like a holiday lantern itself.

"Why I'm sure Mrs. Santa knows widdle Kouji was behaved this year and knows the perfect present to give him this Kwistmas," Yayoi lightly bumped his arm with her shoulder as they strolled along the tranquil pathway.

"Weally?"

"Of course! She's seen how hard the little man worked this year and always did his best to keep his girlfwend happy, even when she's being an angry brat. This year, maybe she even has a fancy surprise for him…" Yayoi paused when she noticed her partner blinking away his teary eyes as they passed through the second block of the narrow street path. "Dude, are you crying?"

Kouji only bit his bottom lip, averting from his partner's gaze who was wearing his parka jacket.

"Aww, Little Prince. You're adorable," she cooed, gently cupping his right cheek and wiped a small tear from the corner of his eye.

"You said 'missus'…" he said, taking all his mental strength not to break down into a sobbing mess right there in the middle of the secluded street. "I was so happy when you said that."

"O-Ohhh… ahaha, yeah. I said that, didn't I?"

"Do you want to be? A real one this time?"

Yayoi stared doe-eyed at him and slowed down her steps until she came to a solid halt. "Kouji… I…" She merely replied frozen in her spot, hardly noticing her partner's hand pulling out something from the pocket of his winter jacket. Her mouth fell agape as Kouji presented a small velvet box that fitted squarely on the palm of his hand and took a deep breath as he carefully opened the lid.

"I've heard more nuptial vows than I can remember with my job, I've also lost count of how many kissing moments I've captured with my camera; and for the past year, I've been carrying a certain thought to myself: how many more happily wedded couples do I have to see until my turn came? That I'd be the one standing there at the end of the aisle wearing a suit and seeing the one I love walking down the aisle looking perfectly beautiful in her dress…"

Kouji leaned closer, not bothered if anyone passed by; the sound of cars and the bustling nightlife was a complete world away from him at present, letting Yayoi hear his every word that carried the nervous beats of his heart.

"Yacchi, you were there with me since the beginning, when I was only an amateur photographer who followed people around and barely made his own rent. I made a lot of mistakes and almost gave up on this dream but you stood your ground and told me the things I needed to hear. You never stopped urging me to keep going. You're my best friend, my noisy roommate, my life pillar, my trusted confidant; now I want to ask if you would want to be my other half, my soulmate… my wife. You've seen me at my worst times but I'm here right now, asking for your hand if you'll stay by my side so I can show you my best. I take photos and make nuptial footages for a living but if I were to put down my camera at a wedding ceremony for one day, I want it to be when I'll hear you say 'I do' with me at the end of an aisle."

Yayoi's eyes shimmered under the lamp posts while a hand covered her quivering mouth, her long delicate eyelashes already clumping with the tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"I've spent the years of my early adult life with an amazingly passionate and stubborn woman who never left my side. I don't even mind how grumpy you are when I wake you up in the morning; I'm just ridiculously grateful that you're simply _there_. You've always had my back and I'm ready to spend the rest of my life doing the same for you. I love you, Uenoyama Yayoi. Will you have me as your other half from this night onward?"

The narrow street was in cold silence as Kouji finished his words, his rehearsed lines left unused but had no regrets. From where they stood, he could glimpse the dazzling trees from the main road, reminding him of his failed plans to propose while viewing the illuminations that December night. Instead, he ended up offering his heart right there in an unknown street in Roppongi, far from the festive sparkles and romantic views.

"…Yes," she finally said, after staying quiet for the longest minutes of her life. Her vision was a complete blur of warm lantern reds and greens, icicle blues and bar sign yellows as she struggled to catch her breath, letting Kouji take her left hand and fit the white-gold ring snugly in its rightful place.

"I love you too," she sobbed, and without another word, wrapped her arms tightly around her now-financé's neck as tears freely flowed down her cheeks, smiling contentedly as her man returned her embrace. "I love you so much… I love you _so damn_ much, you big idiot! What else were you thinking?! Of course, I'll marry you…"

Kouji nuzzled her hair and gave it a soft kiss, then wiped her damp cheeks with the sleeve of his sweater. After taking a content breath as he cherished the sight of Yayoi's overwhelmed state, he leaned down and caringly pressed his mouth on her plush lips, tasting her peppermint lip balm and catching the scent of her perfume that reminded him of dove-white peonies and snowy daffodils.

While the rest of the city continued to thrive as the hours of the night passed by, one Yatake Kouji found himself in a narrow unknown street, hardly feeling the winter cold without his parka jacket. Away from the romantic periwinkle lights along the main road, the man swore he heard tolling bells from where he stood as he lovingly held the hands of his wife-to-be, kissing her under a simple lantern and letting her diamond ring sparkle more majestically than any Christmas star.

\- Part II -  
End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Random plug: Segment 3 was inspired by [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jtyDv5DQHw) meaningful song by The Killers.


	12. Chapter 12

\- Part II: Interlude Chapter -  
  


"A gaze that makes me lower my own  
A laugh that is lost on his lips  
That is the un-retouched portrait  
Of the man to whom I belong

When he takes me into his arms  
He speaks to me softly  
And I see life through rose-colored glasses"  
— Édith Piaf, La Vie en Rose (1946)

Christmas Eve  
  


Central Neighborhood  
  


Joyful trumpets, dramatic violins, velvety smooth clarinets and oboes from Beethoven's 9th symphony was still playing in Ugetsu's ears even as he went out with Ruito that early hour of the night, spending the winter festivity with the euphotic crowd of Machida on Christmas Eve. There was a scent of gingerbread and cloves, peppermint and hot chocolate from every café they passed by; shop windows displayed merry decorations of red, gold, and white ribbons, a few snowflake cut-outs, and the popular hanging mistletoe. Inflatable snowmen and Santas waved hello along the sidewalks, greeting locals with a joyful smile; Ugetsu would have paid less attention to the quirky characters if not for a certain father-and-son pair who found them entertaining as all four of them made way to the central park.

On a typical occasion, he would have seen the December illuminations along with his significant other and be romanced by the nebula of twinkling stars around the city, but the high school teacher knew this year was a bit different now seeing the lights with Asahi Ruito as his official spouse. Akihiko and Ritsuka were also having a new kind of winter season themselves, looking forward to meeting up with two certain people whom they met back in spring; two uplifting individuals who have slowly filled in the gaps of Akihiko's pining heart, and given more life to Ritsuka's childhood while being raised by a single parent.

 _'I like you, I love you, then saying I do,'_ Ugetsu thought as he crossed the street toward the main park with his three other companions. He saw Ruito offer his hand as they weaved among the winter-clothed locals, not wanting to lose sight of his husband in the dizzying crowd. Despite a witty remark forming on his tongue, Ugetsu bit his lip to silence himself for once and accepted the man's hand without a worrying thought.

"So many…" Mafuyu's eyes shimmered at the scenery before him; a giant long tunnel of scintillating lights in periwinkle blue and moonlight silver that stretched to the end of the park block in their bedazzled midtown neighborhood. In every corner of his eye, he spotted adults and teenagers strolling through the bright holiday spectacle, all of them strangely in two's and leaning particularly close to each other or shyly holding hands. Children around his age were a rare sight at the venue, but the boy hardly took notice as his father paced leisurely beside him whose flaxen hair turned almost magical under the entrancing lights. 

"Did you visit the illuminations last year as well, Haruki-san?" Ugetsu asked, shoving his hands into his coat pockets to warm his cold fingers. As enchanting as the romantic tunnel seemed with all its glittering arches over their heads, the stylish flicks and curves of his tousled hair remained an alluring shade of raven black that melded well with the moonless sky.

"We did. It was his first time last year. We went to the shrine and walked around the east neighborhood for a bit. Take-chan and Yayoi-san kept us company for a while, then we went our ways when it was getting close to Mafuyu's bedtime," Haruki replied beside him as the indigo scarf that hung loosely around his neck swayed to and fro. "He was only four but I didn't want him cooped up on Christmas Eve and miss all of _this_. It's only once a year anyway. And… well… I needed inspiration for the novel I was working on that time, I guess. Ahaha…" the writer tittered nervously while smoothing a hand over his woolen scarf, focusing his gaze on the hanging star ornaments on the street lamps around the park while a wry smile found its way on Ugetsu's lips.

"You have a secret cunning side Haruki-san, and I find that as a pleasant surprise. I tried searching for your novels online being an avid reader myself, but came upon the discovery that you use a pen name in your work," he spoke while eying their other three male companions several paces ahead of them on the brightly-lit path; the fur-lined hood of Ruito's jacket blending with his dark brown hair, the eye-catching reindeer antlers made of felt cloth wobbling merrily on Ritsuka's head, and the exposed nape of Akihiko's neck that seemed in need of a particular cloth accessory welcoming the cold evening weather.

"Ahhh… nnn, that I do," the other admitted while glancing at his side, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his left ear.

"The style of prose in your latest work was a delightful page-turner, I finished it sooner than expected and Rui got curious himself. He borrowed it one time for his business trip and when he came back, he said he wanted to get the hardcover version for his collection."

Haruki bit his lip for a moment then gave a humble smile. "Your words are encouraging. Thank you, Murata-san."

"Akihiko is more of a music-type person than a bookworm but after reading it, I considered suggesting the title to let him appreciate a different kind of art aesthetic for a change—a more _quiet_ one that involves the classic pair of ink and paper." Ugetsu focused his view on his particular friend's back in front of them, not minding if the other parent could overhear him. "Of course I was still unaware of _who_ the actual author was that time. Rui already had a hunch it was a male writer behind the story while I begged to differ. Then by some ruthless plot twist of the gods, here I am relaxing on Christmas Eve talking to the author himself so consider me humored."

"Akihiko might not be into those genres though? I can imagine him reading more on the sci-fi or psychological thriller type of things, please correct me if I'm wrong," Haruki opined kindly while noticing a teen couple strolling along in their opposite direction; one with blonde hair with a distressed expression on his face, while his darker-haired companion looked unfazed by the other love-struck couples roaming in the park. The two seemed to pause abruptly in their walk when they met gazes with Ugetsu but Haruki merely brushed off the coincidence, thinking the young teens saw a familiar face somewhere further in the open lot.

"Oh, Aki? The guy's an open-minded softie, to be frank. He'll try anything you recommend as long as it makes sense to him. Suggest a tip—let's say, how to get Ritsu to eat all his veggies or how to KonMari his apartment, he'll give you a listen. Especially when he doesn't need to have an internal breakdown about choosing one option over another."

Haruki pondered on Ugetsu's words while looking over Mafuyu's quiet presence between them, wondering if his son was growing impatient with the dull adult conversation he was hearing. "I wouldn't be surprised though if Akihiko would find the story too… sentimental for his taste."

"I'll tell him to read it, _then_ we'll find out."

"If he's too busy with work and looking after Ritsuka-chan, then that's fine too. Maybe he prefers something with more action instead, which would also be _clearly_ understandable," the novelist supplied with a wave of his hand.

"What if I told him who wrote it?"

"Hnnnngghh!!"

Ugetsu smirked while the other looked as though he choked on plain air. "Just kidding. My lips are sealed, I can assure you that," he said, catching sight of the tunnel exit several meters away from where they stood, seeing the three other boys already passing the last few arches of silver lights and saw his husband glance back at him for a moment with a keen eye. Ruito gestured his head towards the large Christmas tree display in their view and Ugetsu nodded in response, sharing a quick intent gaze with his spouse and waited for him to smile. By silent cue, he went ahead to re-join Akihiko and Ritsuka who had their eyes set on the Santa sleigh, letting Haruki and Ugetsu follow after them at their own pace. 

"Rui and I noticed Aki has gotten better at handling Ritsu all by himself over these past months. Unlike the past years when it was only the four of us, Rui and I can only help the two up to a certain point. As much as I want to accompany Aki to see how he's doing, I also have to work myself," the teacher spoke while the other man listened beside him. "But now the two are _flourishing_ , so to speak. Rui knows it too. I'm glad Aki decided to pick up Ritsu early on his first day of school, Haruki-san."

The parent blinked confused for a few moments, then a warm expression glazed over his amber eyes and ever-smiling mouth. "Nnn. Ritsuka-chan looked like he wanted to get home soon after class, I can still remember."

A chuckle escaped between Ugetsu's lips as he fondly shook his head at the other's still-modest answer. "Aki was right. Haruki-san is a master on the art of giving."

"Wait, what happened to the first day of school? We were talking about Ritsuka-chan's first day of school a moment ago? Ehhh??"

More soft peals of laughter spilled from the younger man's mouth as he breathed into his hands to warm his cold fingers. "Since you remember that day well, may I ask a question about your first day of school with him?"

"Oh. Sure, go ahead."

"Did you notice if he was wearing something like this when you two first met?" The married teacher displayed his left hand where a simple white gold band proudly flashed under the bright lights. In a few moments, he saw the emotional cacophony in Haruki's honey-colored eyes and already knew what the answer would be. "Aki chose to love again, Haruki-san. He wants to love again abundantly, you can be certain about that."

Hearing all the festive noises surrounding him, the person could hardly find the right coherent words to say and instead, his face and ears suffused with charming pink served as his quiet reply.

"Mafuyu! Let's go see the Santa by the Christmas tree! Dad and Rui-nii said we can even ride on the reindeer!" Ritsuka pointed excitedly to the end of the winter-colored tunnel, his hand already tugging full force at Ruito's lazily outstretched arm.

Snapping out of his awkward silence, Haruki switched his attention to his boy who stared up at him with pleading eyes, zipped up the rest of the little one's jacket and combed away a few strands of hair from getting to the child's eyes. "Go on, Papa will be right behind you. Always stay close to them, got it?"

Mafuyu nodded and released his grip from his father's hand. He rushed to his awaiting playmate along the brightly lit path and joined the two taller men, clinging to Akihiko's leather jacket while the man placed a guiding hand on the boy's back.

Akihiko finally noticed how Haruki and Ugetsu were lagging behind them, his fellow parent only grinned at him in return while his close friend merely showed an innocent face.

"We'll be right here," Ugetsu told him, pointing his nose towards Ruito and Ritsuka; the noisier pair were already a few steps nearer to the giant Christmas tree decorated with ribbons and painted glass baubles that reflected its glittery snowflake designs.

"Your face says different. You're plotting something back there and you're stringing Haruki along."

"We were thinking if we should get some hot drinks for everyone. Why?"

Haruki caught Akihiko's wary look at both of them but found himself nodding in agreement.

"Rikka likes the candy cane hot chocolate one, if that's the case," the man said, still addressing his shorter friend. He knew the man beside him could practically don an angel's halo over his head, whether it was Christmas season or not.

"No problem with that. I'll get you the… Snowflake Latte?"

"Dark Mocha."

"Okay, Snowflake Latte it is then." Ugetsu smiled sweetly at Akihiko as he turned his heels and herded the wordless Haruki to a nearby coffee shop across the open park.

A shy giggle here, a careful touch of a hand there.

Ugetsu found himself watching a Christmas show under a fully-shed maple tree, sipping his hazelnut and bourbon hot chocolate on a park bench, sitting beneath a canopy of leafless branches that spread like an opened umbrella under a rainless evening. Ruito sat comfortably at his right with a crossed leg propped on his left thigh, his side-swept hair in a graceful arch above his forehead that fell stylishly by his right eye. The violist opted for a more dressed-up look that occasion, leaving his eyeglasses at home and showing his natural face to the romance-filled crowd.

"Remember the first time Ritsu heard Aki say he wasn't lonely after Ohigan?" Ugetsu leaned back in his seat, angling his body toward the other man and getting a few curious stares from random strangers strolling along their path.

"The Tiny Oreo didn't believe him at first," his spouse replied, setting down his Irish coffee blend on his lap, cupping his hands around the warm surface of the recyclable drinking cup with ease. "Why such a September thought, love? It's the beautiful December eve of warm lights and exchanging hearts. He's having adventures with Santa and the reindeers, see? Or maybe make that _two_ Santas…"

The white-clad teacher easily caught sight of the boy in question, sitting on the back of the life-size animal display while his friend Mafuyu explored the contents of the old man's sleigh. Not far from the two children were their fathers Akihiko and Haruki holding out their phones, fussing over their kids to stop moving to take a clear picture. Ugetsu could see the taller one's frustrated face while the other pleasantly laughed at the man's unsuccessful snapshot efforts, finding coziness in his chest as he watched the four bonding over their first Christmas Eve together in the park. 

" _Till death do us part_ , the traditional vows say. It's a good thing we weren't born during the medieval times, that's for sure," he said, entwining his fingers with Ruito's left hand, brushing over the wedding band on the man's ring finger.

" _For richer or poorer?_ " the dark-robed violist recited, gently squeezing Ugetsu's paler hand and taking another sip of his hot drink. " _In sickness and in health?_ "

" _To love and to cherish._ "

"' Till the sun ceases to rise and the moon falls off its orbit," Ruito added and the other only sighed with a humored expression on his face.

Tilting his head skyward, Ugetsu found the inky black heavens with hardly a sparkle, the known round satellite of Earth currently in shadow that night. "What would you add to it then? If you were born centuries earlier with only a feather pen and a scroll of parchment on your work desk. No phone, no Wi-Fi, your radio is a traveling bard singing in taverns and your beloved is away in the countryside with no cars or trains in sight." 

The taller man pursed his lips without much thought, observing the snow-less urban scenery of Machida in all its holiday splendor. "How about… to shelter and adore?"

"Too kitschy." His partner sipped his beverage, letting the sweet warm liquid spellbind his taste buds and savor the winter mood. "How about something to toast to instead, hm? To a Christmas night when the moon is closest to the sun."

"To… a year of new resonant bonds and mellifluous music."

"To strangers falling in love on a bright spring day," the younger one said, raising his coffee cup with a playful curl of his lips and the other accompanied his celebratory gesture.

"Hmm. To betrothed couples ready to say their vows."

"To spouses keeping each other warm on a winter night."

Ruito leaned close to Ugetsu's face, clinking their half-empty drinks gently as he gave a soft peck on the man's cheek. "La vie en rose," he spoke with sultry bedroom eyes, mirroring his husband as they both tipped their cups to their lips. The couple shared their moment of Christmas Eve joy as they sat in their cozy park bench under a leafless maple tree, tasting the addicting concoction of their drinks; smooth, sweet, nutty, and bitter with a mild buzz of alcohol—a symphony of cantabile flavors in their mouths just the way they liked it.  
  


***  
  


East Neighborhood  
  


Rose gold was the color of the dimly-lit apartment walls around 2 o'clock that evening as the glamorous sequin-dressed Yayoi felt her heart being cradled in a heavenly dream, hearing a French song being played by their upstairs neighbor on the peak of Christmas Eve. Eyes fluttered closed, she frolicked in the scent of misty woods and dewy lavender from her man's cologne, luxuriating in the warmth of Kouji's arms wrapped around her waist; his chin resting snugly on top of her head (owing to her significantly reduced height without heels); her feet following the direction of her fiancé's gentle sways as he coaxed her to a slow dance.

A soundless kiss on her chignon-styled hair, an upward curl of her nude coral-tinted lips.

Kouji nuzzled the side of her face and Yayoi breathed a light chuckle as his happy sigh tickled her lightly powdered cheek.

More foreign lyrics resounded from their open balcony that showed a view of the sleepless Machida City that night, guiding the lazy steps of their inexperienced waltz as the female voice lilted melodiously in the engaged couple's ears.

Sheltered in each other's presence, the two paid no mind while the outside world celebrated in flaunty scarlets and bold ruby reds to embrace the romantic yuletide season, feeling their heartbeats as their bodies pressed close; the world was aptly painted in tender shades of pink, mellowing the fervent reds of their love with a tinge of wedding white.

\- Part II: Interlude Chapter -  
End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Plug: [La Vie en Rose](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSUdn08D8aY) or "Life in pink". Another rough English translation [here](https://www.frenchlyricstranslations.com/la-vie-en-rose-edith-piaf-french-lyrics-and-english-translation/).  
> \- Last stage, Part III to follow soon.


	13. Chapter 13 / Part III: Lasting Bonds

\- Part III -  
  


“Lysander: Ay me, for aught that I could ever read,  
Could ever hear by tale or history,  
The course of true love never did run smooth...”  
― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream  
  


Winter

Early January  
  


1

West Neighborhood  
  


Flamboyant fridge magnets arranged in a round disc greeted 'Welcome back' as Ugetsu stored a newly-received package of mochi dough in the refrigerator, a generous take-home gift after his New Year's visit to the Asahi household earlier that afternoon. Mulling over the sudden bounty of the glutinous paste in his fridge, Ugetsu found the quickest solution to the dilemma was to portion it among his nearby friends—one default example on his list: his next-building neighbor and long-time cohort Kaji Akihiko.

"I bet Haruki-san can think of more ways to prepare mochi than Aki," Ruito spoke openly in their living area where he unboxed yet _another_ bottle of wine from his parents' souvenir loot, around him was a sea of parchment wrapping paper and opened paper bags of late Christmas gifts from cousins and relatives he seldom met from overseas.

"They can come up with ideas together with Ritsu and Mafuyu-chan. More bonding time for them, more fridge space for us," Ugetsu replied as he joined his spouse on their sofa, tiptoeing around the new items they received and wondered how on earth they could fit all of them in proper storage in their apartment.

"Aye. Win-win."

"Should we reserve that riesling bottle for Take-san and Yayoi-san then?" He started gathering the scattered papers nearest from his reach and stuffing them in one bag as a make-shift trash bin.

"Also my initial thought earlier, but I low-key suggest the pinot noir. The floral rosy taste of the red wine suits them better as a couple, I think. Sweet, but not overbearing, versatile and can be easily paired with seafood and leaner meats," the other opined, checking the other gift bags if he had missed any contents before they started cleaning up.

"But spare the chardonnay."

Ruito made 'Ta-da!' jazz hands at the olive green bottle set aside on their coffee table and started collecting the mess he had made around the floor.

Ugetsu picked up a new monthly wall calendar that caught his attention and flipped the front cover to view the month of January, seeing the dwindling number of days he had left before his winter break was over. "I already feel like having a glass right now, to be honest. Or maybe _two_."

His husband made a worried face. "Whoa there, not so fast. I don't want you walking in zig-zags by the end of the day, and I'm also pretty sure you don't want to be the next victim of a sprained ankle incident," Ruito said, looking over his shoulder as Ugetsu carded over the rest of the calendar pages and set it down next to the bottle of sparkling wine on the table.

"Your mum's reaction was priceless when you mentioned that though."

"And Dad was munching away his osechi like it was a mere kitten sneeze in the world's grand scheme of things." 

"He looked healthier and that was a relief to see. It was good to know his doctor allowed him to travel during the Christmas season." Ugetsu noticed the other had already done most of the clean-up and luxuriously rested on the sofa, letting the soft throw pillows cushion his weight—waiting errands, unfinished lesson plans, upcoming student exams, and all other worries in his mind included.

"Mum got worried too but some prayers at a shrine and a bucket-load of patience paid off, by good fortune. She gets to see her side of the family only a few times each year after all, and it's the rare time I get to hear about my cousins which still feels pretty weird."

"She kept mentioning your other musician cousin who moved to Bristol six months ago, saying her travels were almost as easy as riding a shinkansen to work."

"Ah, hearing that got me thinking a bit," Ruito added, making quick work of the extra paper gift bags they had left and folded them flat along their creases, ready to be stored for possible reuse. "You know it takes less than two hours from there to London where the Royal College of Music is?"

Ugetsu raised a suspicious brow at him, easily reading in-between his husband's lines. "Did you also forget to screw on your head properly after we left your parents' house half an hour ago?"

"What. You sure you didn't drink too much sake while we were there?"

"I remember you had three, while I had _one_ pour. You even looked extra comfy in the passenger seat on our way back."

"Do you also know that frequent travels every year is similar to putting your head in a running blender? You can literally feel time winding back and leaping forward whenever you cross nine or more time zones away back and forth from home," the musician spoke in sudden bluntness, causing the other to sit up from his previously relaxed position on the pillows with a stoic expression quickly forming on his face.

"You always love watching and reading stuff about space-time continuum and black holes theories, if I remember correctly," the man calmly stood from the sofa but with the light in his eyes gone dull, grabbed his box of cigarettes from the ceramic ashtray near the window sill, then stared blankly at his partner's hazel orbs. "And in case you've forgotten, classes resume next week. Then again, maybe that's trivial info for you since you're not the typical working high school teacher in this room."

Ruito bit his tongue from saying another word and merely watched Ugetsu head to their genkan without looking back, then heard the gentle click of the front door as it closed, feeling a silent knife jab into his stomach all the way to the hilt.  
  


***  
  


2

Central Neighborhood  
  


An obscured reflection on the glass slowly formed to clarity as the warm steam cleared away into the winter morning. Haruki was observing the condensation evaporate from the bathroom mirror while brushing his teeth when he heard his 'By the Seaside' ringtone coming from the bedroom.

"Daaaad..." He heard Mafuyu's voice call from behind the doorframe with his jacket already worn and his school bag ready to be swung across his back.

Haruki rinsed off the minty foam from his chin, turned off the faucet, and patted his mouth dry with a towel. "I got it." He found his ringing phone near the wall socket and unplugged it from its charger, its screen displaying a known name with the incoming call symbol beneath the large kanji characters. "Hello? Akihiko?"

"Hello."

The parent blinked confused at hearing the person's unusually high-pitched voice over the phone. "Ricchan?"

"Hello. Haruki-san?"

"Yeeeeees?" He pinned the phone between his ear and shoulder to slip on his wristwatch and buckle it in place. The time currently read 7:20 on the dot, certain that his morning routine was moving along its usual pace, nothing out of the ordinary for that day… so far. Haruki then reached for his winter coat from the hanger and shrugged it on, checked the pockets for any misplaced items he might have missed from the day before. "What's up, little man? Need help with anything? Is Akihiko around?"

"He can't get up."

"Hah?" His brows suddenly furrowed, not sure if Ritsuka was explaining things correctly over the phone. "What do you mean?"

"Dad's still in bed and his face is really warm and he sounds a bit funny. I think he can't walk me to school today."

"Your papa's sick? How did you call my number?" Haruki sensed Mafuyu's curious gaze at him, ready to wear his outdoor boots and step outside to greet the snow-less winter morning, his pale yellow scarf notably uneven but the parent gave him points for attempting to tie the accessory all by himself.

"He taught me before. He told me what to press for e…e-mer-gen-sees and said Haruki-san will answer. Can I go to school with Mafuyu today?"

"Uh… " His watch told him he still had some extra minutes to spare. "Can I talk to Dad for a bit?"

"'Kay."

A few seconds afterward, Haruki finally heard a familiar lower-pitched voice and took a relieved sigh.

"Haruki?"

"Hey," the man answered worriedly, imagining a feverish Akihiko stuck in bed. "Ritsuka-chan told me some… unexpected news."

"I don't even know how he found the phone under my pillow," the other man slurred in a drowsy voice. "Whatever the spud told you, don't worry too much about it. I can still walk around. He's… exaggerating."

"Uh-huh. It's 4 degrees outside and your boy could still tell you have a fever," Haruki deadpanned while entering the living area and checked the fresh water in Kedama's feeding bowl. The growing pup booped its wet nose against his calf to say hello and paced around his leg, lazily wagging its curled poofy tail. "Mafuyu and I will be there in… twenty minutes?"

" _Haru_. I'm getting up now."

The sound of ruffling sheets and an audible grunt told Haruki the other parent was an extra difficult child when it came to dealing with his own ailments. "May I talk to the little man again?" he waited for a few moments until Akihiko's boy was back on the receiving end of the call. Mafuyu was already putting on his boots and wore his red randoseru on his back, waiting for his father to take him outdoors. Kedama trotted to him and gave the short-legged dog a few good pats on the head.

"Hello."

"Hi. Ricchan, Mafuyu and I will be there soon so just sit tight. Are you already dressed for school?" The man joined his son at the genkan, slipping on his pair of footwear and patted over his coat pocket to make sure the house keys were in their proper place.

"Yup." 

"Good. You and your dad stay indoors, got it? Keep warm until we ring the doorbell." Haruki unlatched the chain and bolt lock of the front door and pushed it open, damp and freezing air greeted his face followed by a misty canvas of blue-gray morning sky. Mafuyu tailed closely behind him as he heard the soft click of the door as it shut, thinking his normal morning routine was going to be a little different that day but didn't let it bother him at all.  
  
  


West Neighborhood  
  


Scratch that. Haruki was bothered at that moment—outright anxious and queasy at what he had done. Rewind to some ten minutes earlier, he could still remember Ritsuka's bright expression when he arrived with Mafuyu at Akihiko's front door, asking permission if he could walk to school with his friend unchaperoned for the first time. The idea seemed alarming at first, but the parent knew it was another reality he had to face; the two boys were growing up whether he was ready for it or not and he had to accept that inevitable fact, reluctantly permitting the children's request with a little prodding from his partner Akihiko.

"Aaaaaaahh, they're gone. _They're gone_! They've officially taken another step up on their childhood ladder!" Haruki bemoaned as he re-entered the Kaji household genkan, his words brimming with motherly concern.

"They're both entering first grade this year, so it's already good practice," Akihiko replied from the sofa wearing a dark gray sweater and a cold patch stuck on his forehead. He was settled in front of the TV that showed a news channel with the volume on low, on the coffee table was his laptop and a paperback novel with a bookmark tucked one-third into the story. "They're going to have to learn how to leave the nest someday by themselves sooner or later."

"It's going to feel weird not walking them to school every morning from now on but ohhh, the irreversible linear growth of human life."

"You wouldn't have to worry about being late for your shift." Akihiko shrugged.

The other parent sighed as he allowed himself into the kitchen and switched off the electric kettle that was already at a proper boil. He grabbed a tall mug from the dish dryer and filled it half-way with hot water dyed in a rich shade of dark amber, smelling the robust aroma from its special herb ingredients. He joined Akihiko at the living area and handed the steaming drink to his partner, then watched the man's face scrunch in distaste as though someone punched his solar plexus.

"That ginger is _strong_ ," the feverish parent commented... _nicely_ on his healing tea, staring down at the rather flavorful brew in his mug. 

"You're going to finish that," Haruki replied with a straight face and ignored the other's frown. A familiar book cover on the low table caught his attention and averted his eyes from the certain item, then internally screamed when Akihiko grabbed it within easy reach and tucked it under his thigh. "Speaking of shifts, I also need to get moving. There are rinsed rice and water ready in the cooker and I stored some pre-cut veggies in a container in the fridge. When you're getting hungry, just throw them in and add the thawed chicken when you cook the rice…"

In all his fatigued and light-headed grandeur, Akihiko only tilted forward and planted a random kiss on Haruki's forehead before the person could even finish his sentence. "I'm feeling very spoiled right now," he said with a smirk.

"You can say that to me again after you finish your tea." Haruki held back from bricking Akihiko's face with a nearby throw pillow. "I'm still going to pick up the kids in the afternoon, is that all right? It just feels… unsettling to let them off by themselves after class. We'll be back before 3, same as always. If you need anything, _message me_ , Akihiko. You do not need to step out of the house, it's freezing out there."

As Haruki rose from his seat, Akihiko fought the urge to clamp his long legs around the person's hips to keep him company for a couple more minutes. "When you guys arrive later, can I spoil myself a bit more? Even if it's only for today."

"What do you mean?"

"Can I say 'Welcome home' when you three make it back?"

The room fell silent for a couple of heartbeats as Haruki took in the rare sight of a sturdy-built Kaji Akihiko wearing a fever patch and nursing a mug of lemon-ginger tea in his hands, waiting for his Tylenol dose to kick his immune system back into proper gear. _'You can say it as often as you want,_ ' Haruki mused to himself as he kissed his two fingers then pressed them to softly to Akihiko's lips. "Okay," he said gently to the other, looking forward to those homely words later in the afternoon, realizing his slightly different morning routine that day wasn't so bad after all.  
  


***  
  


Late January  
  


3

Central Neighborhood  
  


"Umihotaru?! _That_ far?" Haruki exclaimed beside the vacant bench outside the convenience store, meanwhile his friend Kouji quickly finished the rest of his lit cigarette, nodding his head to affirm the other's startled reaction. 

"That she did."

"And she drove all the way?"

"It was her surprise," the newly-engaged man said as he recalled his memorable date back in December, his fiancée's grand plan of a romantic night on Christmas Eve in the middle of Tokyo Bay. "And I drove us back, of course," he added, stubbing his finished cigarette butt in the standing ashtray and sighed, his breath slightly fogging in the freezing January weather. Reports say temperatures were predicted to drop even _lower_ as the weeks go by as the unforgiving cold turned damp pavements and sidewalks into half-skating rinks, advising Tokyoites to take extra precaution as the city endured another round of the winter season. 

"As expected from you two, always with a fancy taste for these kinds of things," Haruki flattered Kouji in return, his heart filling with bubbles of mirth as he imagined his best friend in a handsome suit saying his vows to a white-dressed Uenoyama Yayoi in beautiful matrimony. "Sis also messaged recently, by the way. She said congratulations and was relieved Yayoi-san likes the ring."

From the other corner of the store, Kouji spotted Mafuyu and his wife-to-be exchanging animal impressions as they sat together on the other bench, seeing their breaths forming small clouds of mist as they laughed and giggled despite the frigid cold. "Thanks," he replied, not minding the biting chill as he breathed in the ice-dry afternoon air.

"Oh, Yuki-niichan!" Mafuyu called in delight when he saw a familiar teen pass by the outdoor bench where he sat, easily spotting the unmistakable shade of sandy blonde hair that belonged to his high school friend dressed in a winter coat layered over his student uniform.

"Hey, sprout." Yuki smiled at him, then bowed to Yayoi who also returned his polite gesture. "No school today?" 

The fur pom on Mafuyu's crocheted beanie swished back and forth as the boy shook his head. "School told Papa it was too cold to go out and should stay indoors."

"Heeeh, and yet here you are doing the exact opposite," the student said and his friend replied with an easy grin. Checking his watch, Yuki noted he had ample minutes to spare before attending his cram classes and stepped on the front doormat of the store, prompting the automatic glass panels to slide open and welcome its young customer. "Be right back," he said before heading inside the 24-7 establishment, tucking the long end of his charcoal gray scarf over his right shoulder.

"Yoshida-kun?"

Yuki found Mafuyu's father by the standing ashtray and tarp flag in the opposite corner of the store, hearing the glass doors seal off the cold air as it closed behind him. A scenery of white and shades of gray greeted him back to the freezing outside world, seeing Machida locals trudge through the skin-numbing cold in cozy jackets and leather gloves, their fur-lined winter boots striding along the wet slippery pavements without a hint of snow in sight.

"On your way to class?"

"Yep," he answered, bowing to his adult friend and bespectacled companion. "Last day, in fact. Then it's off to exam hell the day after tomorrow."

"Uwah, it's already that time in the school calendar." Haruki showed a worried smile, knowing the nerve-wracking pressure of the two-day university admissions exam. "Be careful on your way. You don't want to slip and forget all the things you've studied before the test."

Yuki tipped his head to the copper-haired boy sitting on the nearby bench and flashed a positive grin. "My feet are as light as a snowflake, Haruki-san. Winter is my ally this year,"

"Like Elsa?" the little one chimed in from his seat. 

"As long as you're not going to freeze everyone in an eternal ice apocalypse, _sure_. We've only been having rain so far, maybe you also know when the first snowfall will arrive?"

Yuki hooked a thumb under his chin to ponder shortly. "Hmm, I'm guessing… soon. Very soon. Absolutely, without a doubt, _soon_ ," he bluffed and heard Haruki's light-hearted chuckle.

"We'll take your word for it then. You can turn your shoes into a pair of ice skates so you can make it to your class on time," Haruki said with a wink.

"Gah. Ohhh boy." Yuki read his watch and excused himself politely to Haruki and his friend, then waved to Mafuyu and the woman sitting beside him. "See you soon at the shelter, Haruki-san! Later, Mafuyu!" he said, then turned his heels eastward into the midtown district where his final day of cram lessons awaited him.

Mafuyu waved back at his high school playmate, watching the long end of the teen's scarf swing and dance merrily at his back. "Okay," he replied in his soft-spoken voice and noticed a dust-like clump of white flutter in his periphery. Yayoi noticed the same thing alongside him and tilted her head upwards, facing the winter heavens of ash white clouds covering the entire sky.

"Well, what do you know…" she said, seeing dots of snow from above adorning her face as they fell one by one on her nose, hair, and cheeks. "Look, Mafuyu-chan. It's the first snow of the season."

The child opened his hands and waited for a snowflake to land on his tiny palm, then watched it melt slowly by the warmth of his skin. Mafuyu found simple awe at the sliver of ice turning into a drop of water before his eyes and smiled, learning that his friend's prediction was right all along. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- [Maybe Yuki's exams.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Center_Test_for_University_Admissions) Plural.


	14. Chapter 14

Early February  
  


1

Yamanoue High School  
  


The literature savant glanced at his small desk calendar, noting the current date celebrated the festival of Setsubun—also known as the bean-throwing ritual to 'ward off evil' as the coldest season awaited the advent of spring. Trudging through the remaining half of his task that 5:30 p.m., Ugetsu thought the only evil at present was the agonizing process of inputting his students' grades to dizzying spreadsheets, all while the sun retreated its pale rays of winter light behind the western horizon.

Scrolling over his grading book document at his work table, Ugetsu puffed at his bangs as he switched between the sheet tabs of his bulky excel file that displayed rows and rows of student names and endless columns of numerical data. The final grade assessment for Class 3-1 was already thankfully finished, all the way up to Class 3-3; to his unspoken teacher's glee, none of his students have a failing mark that school year (so far) in his subject and hoped the blessed streak would carry through for the last section of his third-year batch.

_'Homura Taichi'_ , he read next on the Class 3-4 list and opened his file envelope of printed documents, bringing out past homework submissions, quizzes, handwritten seatwork, and previous exam papers that referred to the said student. On the work file, he skimmed through the teen's exam output from the previous semesters: first term average 94.6%, the second term 97.2%, his third term mid-term exam—a noteworthy 95%. Third term final exam score was still blank, waiting for Ugetsu to enter the last few tallies of scores and let its automated cell formulas do to the rest of the math work. He sifted through Homura's written seatwork over the past months and came across the group report grades submitted by the class rep Aoki; the score of Homura's group—10 out of 10, individual grade—9 out of 10.

The quantifiable aspects of the student's mark: check. Does the student submit his requirements on time? Always. Class absences? A clean zero. So far so good, Ugetsu thought as he flipped through his other teaching notes over the past two-and-a-half semesters, ready to move on to the next name on the class list and inch towards his grading task finish line. Then again, his smooth-sailing course was stopped abruptly when Homura's in-class mark caught his attention—a mediocre 'Fair'. Is the student engaging with the class during his lectures? …Ehhh. Does he raise his hand to share his insights? A seldom occurrence. But does the pupil give correct answers in his exam papers? Very much so. Ugetsu lingered on the scores displayed on his computer screen and compared it with his notes, re-reading his memos from his parent-teacher meetings with the student's mother, recalling the concerned face of the soft-hearted parent.

'He has exemplary marks in his exams, Homura-san. He's very fluent in expressing his ideas in his essays and has a firm grasp of the literary works we discuss in class. The way he analyzes the text and easily picks out the themes from the stories is quite remarkable, even inspiring to his classmates, to say the least.'

'His father would be very _very_ happy to hear those words, Murata-sensei,' Homura Taichi's mother said humbly in her seat, yet her sad smile told Ugetsu she had other feelings aside from elation and relief. 'Taichi is always studying when he's at home, it's a rewarding joy to see his efforts bear good fruit. I know he can be a bit stubborn and… well, a bit impudent at times… if only his father wasn’t' so strict…'

Ugetsu thumbed over the papers on his desk as he considered the thought. 'Even when his marks rival with the class rep's score, he never brags about any of them, Homura-san. He's not as misbehaved as you might think, at least not in my class.'

'My apologies, sensei.' Mrs. Homura interlaced her fingers on her lap. 'Things have gotten… _quieter_ in the house since our other son left about a year ago, Taichi's older brother; soon after entering university, he hit a rough patch with his father and moved out all on his own.'

The teacher placed his steepled hands on the desk as he patiently listened.

'After that, Taichi was the one left to pick up where his brother fell short but he didn't complain, sensei. I try to engage with him to tell me how he feels about it; if he's doing it out of his own liking, or he's worried about disappointing his parents. Taichi gets angry whenever I ask how he's doing in school, but hearing how well he's doing, I'm… I'm happy. I'm happy as his mother and I'm sure my husband will also commend Taichi's good records. I just… I also want to see him smile every now and then when he's at home…'

"Sensei, would you care for some tea?" Ms. Belle approached him with a paper cup of the warm drink; the wisps of steam swirling from the hot beverage all too welcoming during that wintry February afternoon.

Ugetsu found his hand still stationed over his mouse and merely took a deep breath, blinking himself back to reality and simply moved his cursor down to the next student below Homura Taichi's name. Ms. Belle stared innocently at him with her striking blue-gray eyes and Ugetsu wondered if he looked too distraught in front of his laptop screen. "Thank you." He accepted kindly and placed the cup on his drink coaster, but the assistant teacher easily saw the weary expression behind his friendly smile.

"Inoue-san said we should go out for drinks after finishing all this. Everyone's really working hard for the third-years assessments and she wants to celebrate later with the other staff. How about it, sensei?"

"Of course. Count me in," he said, leaning back more comfortably in his office chair and took a careful sip of his hot tea.

"Oh, and here's another treat," Ms. Belle added fishing out a green omamori from her pocket and offered it to the other teacher. "An extra one we got for you. Inoue-san invited me to visit the shrine this morning before going to school. It's was my first time seeing a Setsubun ritual, everyone was so lively! The children were chanting and they were so cute throwing beans at the parading demon masks…"

"Have you also tried the good fortune roll, Belle-sensei?" Ugetsu received the talisman without complaint and stuffed it in his desk drawer, laying it next to the _other_ omamori he received from Inoue one year ago in spring. "You have to face the lucky direction while you eat it. They say for this year it's west by southwest…" Ugetsu slipped out his phone and opened the compass app. "So the blessings are coming from… _that_ way this year," he gestured to a nearby window that showed the far horizon. "You have to eat everything quietly or else the luck won't work andyour wish won't come true."

"Heeeehh, is that so? Getting good fortune while having yummy sushi? I say that's two birds with one stone!" Ms. Belle chirped while facing the orange-gold sunset view. "A wish huh…" she said almost dreamily. "Ah, but I already visited the shrine this morning. If I eat one, would that be considered greedy on wishes?"

"Senseeeeeeeiiii, don't tell me you're done encoding _all_ your grades?" Inoue groaned at her work desk while her usually kempt hair seemed in need of a good comb. Then she realized the literature teacher was facing an odd angle in the room along with his Ms. Belle and, to her curiosity, also turned the same direction. "My my, what a pretty sunset," she said, pausing her work to quietly admire the vibrant scenery.

It was a plain fact, Ugetsu thought; the way the burning yellow sun was already a half-round disc hiding behind the city skyline, leaving a few glowing rays of warmth reaching out through the pink and orange clouds, similar to gods of luck sprinkling their last few blessings to its people and marking the approaching end of the snowy season.

 _'The sun, huh,'_ he mused to himself and returned to his seat, thinking of the empty apartment waiting for him after finishing his tiring workday; the empty bed he was going to sleep in that night, the icy sheets and fluffy pillows. Ugetsu glanced at his small desk calendar and counted the days until his husband was going to arrive from his short orchestra tour, finding three-and-a-half weeks left of deafening silence and wished the following days would already speed by. He moved his laptop mouse to resume his work and dove back into his world of boring columns and rows of numbers and percentages, throwing his beans at one grade-encoding demon after another as the day gradually turned into evening.

Though his side of the world was now being engulfed in darkness where all the monsters thrived, Ugetsu knew the sun always rose again without fail and kept his pace, knowing his work will surely end and won't dwell forever in a place absent of light.  
  


***  
  


Mid-February  
  


2

Main Tokyo  
  


"Couples' special menu at The Seasons Café! _Yoroshiku onegaishimasu_!"

" _Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!_ "

Settled near a komainu statue with a view of a busy intersection crossing, Kouji watched a pair of teens in matching rose-embellished outfits handing out pamphlets to Shinjuku locals one particular February morning. In his left ear was a wireless earbud playing an indie rock song with a relaxed—almost dance-like—melody that paired well with its flirtatious snappy beat; a fitting background tune, Kouji thought, seeing the generously-decorated shop windows and signage that commonly used reds and pinks as its main color theme.

One couple passed by wearing shirts with matching prints of two teddy-bears facing each other as they walked side by side. It was an adorable sight, Kouji admitted, especially as the two held hands with varied flowers and candy bracelets decorating their wrists. Not too far behind them, two schoolgirls shuffled through the frosty morning wind, carrying large shopping totes of certain 'necessities'; he noticed the distinct heart-shaped boxes and pink ribbons peeping from the open top of the canvas bags, their contents Kouji could already guess as a well-known confection that symbolized sticky-sweet romance.

He recalled his student days when it was that same season of the near-ending school year; a time when girls would sneak a box of sweets to convey their puppy love feelings for their admired schoolmate, flock around the boys' lockers or linger around their crush's unoccupied desks. The scenery was young love at its finest, he clearly remembered. Now he was a full-grown man reaching his mid-30's but the certain gift-giving custom was still flourishing just like his high school years. Somewhere at the back of his adult mind, he may have a _teeny-tiny_ drop of yearning to have that giddy feeling of teenage youth all over again; to receive a cutely wrapped parcel that contained a sugary treat that told him he was appreciated and… perhaps even loved from afar…

Then he marvelously snapped himself out his reflections and internally guffawed.

What was he doing there in main Tokyo on a typical working day again? Why was he awake at that hour of the morning and fully functioning when he used to be dead asleep before due to his insomnia? Why was he sitting there in a little corner of Shinjuku Ward, listening to foreign indie rock songs that reminded him of slow waltzes and colors of love, imagining a beautiful long-haired woman in a white dress and holding her hand, twirling her around on a dance floor while everyone else watched in their seats?

_'What could be better than this?'_ the lyrics sang in his ear as he spotted Yayoi exiting a nearby coffee shop two stores away; one arm hugging a paper bag of their ordered breakfast sandwiches, the other holding a recyclable take-out drink tray that carried two noticeably different beverages. Contrary to weather reports announcing winter wrapping up its season over the city, Yayoi's clothes still embraced the frigid temperatures with her double-breasted trench coat and stiletto-heeled knee-high boots, letting her hair sway in fluid grace behind her back as she approached his waiting spot near the lion-dog statue.

"One cheesy egg and bacon muffin for _you..._ " Yayoi's breath slightly fogged as she spoke, pulling out the food from the paper bag held in her arm and handing it to Kouji, "And one veggie and feta breakfast wrap for _me_." The white diamond on her ring winked in the morning light as she set down the drink tray on the ledge where Kouji sat, and took out her phone from her inner coat pocket. After finding the right angle to take a snapshot of their ordered drinks, she pressed the shutter button on her camera app and smiled approvingly at her photo.

Eager to satiate his morning hunger, Kouji paused his music playlist and tucked away the phone back in his pocket, then relished the comforting aroma of fresh bread and melted cheese as he unwrapped his breakfast sandwich and took a hearty bite.

"Has your dad replied yet?" he asked, observing the idle cars in the intersection as they waited for the traffic lights to turn green.

"He did. Dad said next month is a sure go. The weather would be more agreeable by then," Yayoi said as she picked a filter for her photo, settling with a saturated look to accentuate the red hue of Kouji's cup next to her simpler order of herbal tea. "You thought my parents were expecting fancy stuff with the engagement ceremony, weren't you? Going the whole nine yards?"

The man chewed his food thoroughly including the words of his partner's mild tease. "If I underestimated, that'd be worse!" he reasoned, making Yayoi set aside her phone to have a good chuckle.

"Mum and Dad didn't eat with golden pairs of chopsticks when you visited them, did they? Even on _their_ engagement ceremony they didn't go for the whole shebang with their parents either. A cozy private lunch or dinner is already _fine_ , trust me." She smiled, running her fingers through Kouji's sleek ponytail that had now grown some inches longer over the past busy months. "Mum told me the moment she saw you at the door, she already had an idea about what you were going to say."

Kouji suddenly wished he could _also_ use a personal filter app to remove the rosy tint that displayed magnificently on his face.

"Hah! You're blushing." Yayoi smirked as she posted her edited photo to her private social media site.

"Meh. Same as yours last night," the other retorted bitterly. "…In bed."

And in one dignified moment, Kouji brilliantly stepped on a landmine and lost a crucial portion of his meal when the woman took a hungry bite of his breakfast muffin as though her name was written all over it. "That was the good bacon-y part!" he cried but his fiancée only happily chewed her food in salty savory meat-tasting content.

"How now brown cow," Yayoi added out of the blue. "It's also Rui-san's hatch day today, how about that," she showed Kouji her phone screen that displayed the musician's Twitter page; his birth date read 'Happy Birthday!' on the profile blurb with balloons floating upwards across the screen, the bio clear and succinct, his location understandably left blank. "Now we have _two_ birthday boys this month, both dates conveniently easy to remember," she spoke before sampling her fresh tea.

"Cute," the other commented and finally decided to taste his hot drink. He took a cautious sip while Yayoi waited for his reaction, then his head swam in nostalgic youth for a fleeting moment as flavors of dark chocolate, cream, and spices waltzed merrily into his mouth. "What sorcery is _this_??" he said in pure amazement, staring at his decorated red cup and his betrothed one burst into mirthful peals of laughter.

"Happy Valentine's, Little Prince," Yayoi fondly brushed her fingers along her man's still-blushing cheek, and the groom-to-be thought he was also a piece of chocolate himself slowly melting even on a chilly February breeze.

More sappy couples strolled by with their glazed eyes and silly besotted giggles, more school girls bustled through the crowd in their winter uniforms, clutching their bags closely to their sides. The lines of people queued at confectionary shops snaked around an entire block for that certain day, and everywhere Kouji looked, he found hearts and Cupids and fancy bouquets.

As he sat there beside the komainu statue that morning before he started his work, Kouji understood that he wasn't an adolescent anymore and honestly preferred it the way it is. Gone were his love-chasing schoolboy days when he would let his heart flutter over getting different chocolates slipped into his locker or in his bag; now at his age, he only got _one_ and was still absolutely okay with that fact.

Forget yearning for the puppy love days of his juvenile years, all he needed was one look at the woman sitting by his side to re-live that heart-tingling throb in his chest; observing her nibble on her breakfast and sip her fresh tea, admiring her delicate hand that wore a white diamond ring that told the whole world that she was solely his.

 _Yes._ He was a now full-fledged adult ready to say his vows to a certain person who effortlessly made him feel like a giddy teen all over again even in his grown-up entirety; and knowing _that_ was much sweeter than any chocolate he had received in the past years, tipping his indulgent drink to his lips and tasting the melody of love as a new song played in his left ear.

Really, he thought, what could be better than this?  
  


***  
  


Late February  
  


3

Central Neighborhood  
  


Yuki's gaze followed the moving hand of the main wall clock that hung above the Hanamaru reception desk, counting down the remaining seconds before he could reward himself with his favorite hunger-satiating prize after a hard day's work at the animal shelter.

3… 2… 1…

"Perfect!" he exclaimed in and folded his hands together with a firm clap. " _Itadakimasu!_ "

The schoolboy flipped open the paper lid of his cup ramen, taking in the cozy whiff of cooked instant noodles in steaming broth and seafood flavorings, ready to fill his grumbling stomach with a hot meal on a still-wintry last day of February.

"Would you like some grapes?" his younger companion Mafuyu offered, sitting at his right on the lounge sofa with no other visitors to worry about that afternoon. On his lap was a small food container containing a bunch of fresh red grapes, pre-washed and ready to be munched on (and shared, if preferred) as a healthy snack.

"Sure." Yuki leaned away from the low table and opened a hand to receive a couple of pieces of fruit, only to find a single round berry placed quietly on his palm. "Oh," he stared, "okay, one tiny grape. That's… very kind of you."

Mafuyu smiled, pleased with his random generous act of charity.

"Thaaaank yew." The teen popped the small grape into his mouth. "Mm, Vitamin C," he said after swallowing the juicy fruit and picking up his chopsticks to tuck into his instant ramen.

"Does Yuki-niichan want another one?"

The blonde boy ogled at his smaller friend then shoved the remaining strands of noodles into his mouth using his utensils. "I'm good, buddy. For a birthday boy, you're pretty generous today, aren't you?" he spoke behind the back of his hand, hiding his busy chewing mouth.

"Dad said we'll have cake tonight and Ritsuka will also be there with his papa and we can play with his guitar," the child said while nibbling on his last piece of fruit, scanning the empty reception area where they were currently having their quiet snack. "Itaya-niichan said something about passing... kol-ledge tests and Dad said it's also good news for him and Yuki-niichan."

The student grinned, handing a wet tissue to the other boy as he saw his little pal wiping off the sticky grape juice on his buttoned shirt. The child cleaned his hands using the moist cloth and stuffed the used tissue in his pocket to throw in the waste bin later.

"I wasn't even sure I'd pass, you know? It was super-duper extra _crazy_ tough, especially the _Civics_ part. Aaargh, that was a nightmare," he whined, reminiscing about his university admissions exams in the previous month. After pouring semesters of studying at home and attending his cram lessons, all his efforts had fortunately paid off and the youth was thankful at the very least that another hard part of his third-year high school life was officially over.

"Here, you can have the Pikachu from my ramen in exchange for the grape. Fair trade," he added, showing a round sticker freebie sitting next to his Pokémon-themed instant noodle cup.

"What do you do in kol-ledge?" Mafuyu asked, accepting the round sticker with a tiny smile.

"Weeeeell, you study _even more_ … doesn't sound very fun right now, does it? But it's a _bigger_ school, so that's cool, right? You get to meet new friends and new teachers. You have different schedules and become more independent, especially when you're going to live away from home."

"What will you study there?"

"Hmm. Something close to being a doctor, to say it plainly. A doctor who studies what goes inside your head," the teen answered, sipping the warm soup in his Styro cup.

"Will you also live away from your house then?" The child started fumbling with his sticker, sensing a great urge to place it somewhere he could proudly see the adhesive stationery.

"I… yeah, sort of," Yuki replied, watching the moving hand of the wall clock that hung above the reception desk that ticked away each precious minute for that day.

"The school I chose, it's a… a little far from Tokyo, that's for sure. It's in my mom's hometown and she also wants to go back there and have less of the cityscape for a change. I want to keep her company a bit longer, I guess." He placed down his near-empty cup of instant ramen on the table and was lightly surprised to find a small image of a jumping Pikachu stuck on his shirt, right at the center of his chest above his heart.

"That sounds really hard," Mafuyu said swinging his legs back and forth, his feet still a couple of inches from reaching the shiny floor. "But if you're going to kol-ledge and be with your mum, there's always a long train so you could see the doggies here, right?"

Yuki's mouth went agape for a couple of moments as his head rummaged through piles of random thoughts before he could find a decent reply. "Listen, today's your birthday. I want you to think of that yummy cake you're going to have later at home, and that wish you're going to make when you blow out the candles. Make sure it's a good one! Then play lots of songs with Ritsuka and your dad. It's an awesome day to turn six years old! So have an extra fun time with everyone later, capeesh?"

Mafuyu gave him an OK hand signal and he nodded in approval, then took another helping of noodles from his ramen cup as his heart gladly hummed the Happy Birthday tune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Not-so-random plug for segement 2: [Turn](https://youtu.be/AahUu7am5No) by The Wombats.  
> \- 02/15/20 edit: I forgot Twitter changes your birthdate to a birthday greeting on your hatch day.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- **Mild het smut content in this chapter.**

Late Winter

Early March  
  


1

West Neighborhood  
  


'…And how did you and Murata-kun enjoy the mochi we sent on New Year's? Those don't keep well in the fridge for a long time.' 

'We made all sorts of dango with it at first, then I tried using it for savory dumplings. Ugetsu was most pleased when I made ozoni with shrimp and mushrooms.'

'Your new melatonin supplements, are you adjusting to them well?'

'I am adjusting as we speak.'

'Your uncle's bottle of riesling?'

'Taken care of.'

'You know, your cousin also sent that extra chardonnay and said it's always a hit or miss when you travel to Europe for your tours. She hasn't seen you in ages and would love for the two of you to meet there one time.'

'Mum, it's still work-related, _not_ a vacation. I just came home two days ago after being away for two months, my head is in Japan now and I want it to stay that way for a while, please?' Ruito said, burying his face into his folded arms on the kitchen counter.

'I know, I know, Blue. It's just that you spend so much time going back and forth from there to here, not to mention when you have delayed flights or that one time it nearly took forty or so hours to travel from of all the stopovers…'

The 32-year-old musician could already imagine his mother shaking her head in dismay as he heard her worried tone from the speakers of his phone. 'It's something you get used to, really. I'm becoming friends with the Twilight Zone.'

'Your light-adaptive eyeglasses can only do so much for the sunlight, it's not an all-saving answer to recover from jetlag, sweetie.'

'I don't feel invincible when I wear them, but they're _not completely_ useless.' He gave a whiny look at his phone that was resting on the smooth countertop. 'They help. A little bit.'

'Your cousin's travel time when she goes to performances hardly even reaches half a day…'

'Mother Dear, are we having a déjà vu moment?'

'Oh, and have I mentioned her sister is now having her second child?'

Ruito showed a sour face at the talking gadget. 'What.'

'Your uncle is absolutely ecstatic! Another precious grandchild to spoil and add to their family tree… Your father and I were wondering too what joy it would be to have a similar experience. Aah, but of course, we also support you and Murata-kun with all our good wishes… '

The E-string of Ugetsu's violin snapped into two right at the bridge of the instrument with an audible thwack; the longer half flung away to meet the neck, and the shorter half dangerously arched like a sharp javelin and landed on his cheek.

"Tsk." He set down his three-stringed violin on his lap, completely undisturbed by the stinging sensation on the left side of his face. He reached for his phone and checked if he had new messages after strumming random pieces of Vivaldi and Mendelssohn for thirty minutes, but was only met with a cold blank notification screen. Akihiko must be busy with his work, and Inoue also seemed to be preoccupied with something else. Ugetsu scrolled his contacts list to search for a person who might have spare time for a good round of drinks, yet he thought otherwise and mindlessly placed down his gadget without thinking whether it might fall off the edge of the sofa.

"Now what," he said aloud to the empty living room and sighed. Perhaps the magnets in the kitchen were going to respond magically and keep him entertained for the rest of the day. Ugetsu peered at the souvenirs behind his shoulder, but unfortunately found the Ruito-bought objects currently left in a jumbled mess on the fridge door.

Knowing he had no spare set of violin strings kept in the apartment, the teacher decided to call it a wrap for his silently-applauded violin concerto and rested his instrument back in its carbon fiber case. He tucked back the bow in its proper holder and gave one last empty stare at the broken E-string before flipping down the lid without a sound. _'What a pretty coffin'_ , he scoffed to himself. Having only three strings on his violin, he knew playing a tune would be the same as letting a cat chase a mouse around a piano keyboard anyway. He clasped back the fasteners hastily to secure the lid in place, laid the case gently the floor and slid it hidden underneath the sofa where it would stay buried, away from his sight and out of his currently overcrowded mind.

 _'Your father and I were wondering too what joy it would be to have a similar experience.'_ Ruito's mother said, when Ugetsu overheard her converse with her son over the phone from the previous night. _'We also support you and Murata-kun with all our good wishes…'_

He heard a ping from his phone and lazily checked the notification screen. 'Will be home in 30. Doctor said Dad's okay,' the message read and the man instinctively pressed the home button instead of typing a reply. On the window sill sat his ceramic ashtray with his half-finished box of cigarettes and engraved carry lighter, and Ugetsu tossed aside his phone then let his bare feet carry his fogged mind across the empty living room.

A turn of the spark wheel, a small teardrop-shaped flame.

The listless teacher found enchantment at the red-orange glow at the tip of his nicotine stick as he took a deeply gratifying puff, watching the visible heat gorge on the dry tobacco like a mad army of termites consuming wood. He hovered a forefinger at the smoking tip, knowing from a few previous mishaps how it felt to get burned from a lit cigarette; a sharp pain on one's bare skin similar to a prick of a needle, unpleasant yet made one feel undeniably _alive_.

A turn of the spark wheel, a small teardrop-shaped flame.

Ugetsu thumbed over the engraved pattern of his gold carry lighter, the initials M.U. secretly camouflaged into the intricate filigree design. He could still remember the proud look on Ruito's face when he unboxed the fancy lighter three years ago on his 28th birthday, then joked two days later that he had misplaced it and laughed at his then-boyfriend's disheartened face.

The half-blue half-yellow flame sat eerily fixed atop its wick and Ugetsu stared blankly at the small tongue of fire. After setting down the lighter inside the ashtray, he ran his forefinger straight across the burning light, slicing through the hot leaf-shaped glow without scathing his bare skin. Then he repeated it, and a third time, fascinating himself at the delicate mind trick of playing with the humble flare of his little torch.

Ugetsu glanced at his phone on the sofa as his mind continued to flee from one idea to another, his forefinger dancing back and forth over his polished birthday gift that shone as royally as the dawn.

How did it go again—the story of Icarus? The tale of an ambitious young boy who flew too close to the sun that melted his wax wings and plunged down from the sky to meet his tragic death…

Then a sharp needle-prick pain snapped him out of his thoughts as his finger hovered too slowly over the open flame and excellently burned his skin. Ugetsu sucked a breath through his gritted teeth at the sudden clumsiness and thanklessly flipped down the lighter lid shut, snuffing out the dangerous flare before he became a character of his _own_ unfortunate story; a tale of a lusterless moon that floated too close to the sun and got consumed by the deathly fires of the giant star.  
  


***  
  


2

East Neighborhood  
  


Yayoi spotted a tricky kanji on her dialogue script and underlined the complicated character with a pink coloring pencil. After writing down the hiragana reading beside the printed text, she flipped to the next page of her booklet that was labeled with an upcoming TV drama title slated to premiere in autumn. Reading half-way into her character's lines, her phone alarm rang at the exact hour of 6 o'clock that early evening, announcing her much-needed break from reviewing her script all afternoon. She bookmarked the current page with her pink pencil and set it next to her favorite throw pillow on the sofa. After doing some overhead arm stretches to wake up her sluggish limbs, she padded to the bedroom and soundlessly entered the dark space without switching on the lights.

There on the bed, Yayoi found her husband-to-be slumbering on his side, his exposed back displayed vulnerably in her view; no shirt, no socks, no covers, just a pair of cotton drawstring sweatpants that fitted low at his hips. Joining her man on their king-sized mattress, she carefully spooned over her Kouji's back and peeped at the person's serene sleeping face.

"Nap time is up." Yayoi gently nudged the resting man but received no response. "Kouji..." She tried again, this time more successfully.

Her fiancé shifted in his spot and breathed a tired sigh, slowly cracking his eyes open and gradually blinking himself awake.

"It's six. I can start preparing dinner while you snooze for another ten," she suggested, nuzzling the spot above her man's ear. "When a client wants a last-minute edit work, they really mean it, huh."

Still half-asleep, Kouji only managed a yawn as his reply.

"You seemed to be floating on cloud nine back there." Yayoi hooked a leg lazily over his hip and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Do you want to drift back for a few more minutes or… should I help you land back on earth?"

Splaying her fingers across her partner's bare skin, she began moving her hand along the plains and shallow valleys of Kouji's abdomen, waiting for the other to flinch or shift from his position. To her ~~pleasure~~ surprise, he remained motionless and continued breathing evenly, nearly thinking her worn-out partner inevitably fell back into slumber.

"I dreamed I was back in the Terrace House," he spoke at last, voice raw and groggy from sleep. "The place looked the same but the beach view was different. It was an open sea and the sky was night time, I saw a sunset on the horizon. There was a campfire and I saw Ruito entering the house with his luggage, he said he was going to stay there for a while. Then all of a sudden there were _cows,_ " he trailed off with another yawn and heard Yayoi snort as she buried her face against his back.

"Rui-san travels a lot with his work, doesn't he?" she said, cheek snugly pressed against Kouji's skin. "When you go out for a day trip to do video shoots or return at midnight, I already want to jump on you when you get back."

The more-awake man gingerly shifted in his spot to turn himself around, latching _his_ long leg over Yayoi's hip and wrapping an arm around the woman's waist. "That's the thing though, we always come home," Kouji nuzzled his partner's bosom, running his hand along the other's back and realized the person was merely wearing a loose tank top with nothing underneath. "We go out there, do what we have to do. When it's done, it's a no-brainer where we'll head to after finishing the job."

Now it was Yayoi's turn to breathe a fatigued sigh into their shared pillow and combed the dark locks covering her man's face, getting a closer look at the tired lines below Kouji's eyes and the worn curve of his mouth. "To charge your batteries," she mumbled sleepily and the other lightly chuckled as he brushed a gentle hand on her cheek.

"Literally and figuratively for me, yes." He started trailing his hand down to the side of her neck and her collarbone, gently tugging the strap of her tank top until it fell off her shoulder. "I literally cannot function on low batteries and you know how the office floor becomes a mess of cables before I head out for outdoor shoots."

"And the figurative part?" Yayoi didn't bother the warmth of Kouji's palm slipping underneath her top and slowly making its way up her chest.

"I can honestly say that _only you_ know the answer to that." The man's fingers lightly grazed the soft nub of his partner's nipple then moved down to trace the shallow trench below her rib cage, arriving at the supple plains of her abdomen. He heard the other's breath hitch as his hand journeyed lower past her navel and stopped at the hem of her indoor shorts.

"Hm? Me? I don't know what you're talking about," she replied innocently, pulling the drawstring of Koiji's sweatpants loose and easily slipping her hand under the cotton fabric. Caressing the tender flesh of her man's inner thigh, she smiled winningly as soon as she saw her partner's eyelids drooping heavily, seeing him turn fragile by her mere fingertips. "Aww, don't fall asleep. You just woke up, remember?" Yayoi said, carefully rubbing the sensitive area, letting her feathery touches reach a breath away from the person's blooming heat between his legs.

"Can't… too tired… need… energy…"

"Oh dear, my poor prince." She coddled him, leaning their foreheads together with their mouths one shy name part. "He's already close to his energy source but seems a little… lost," Yayoi had to breathe out her last word as Kouji's hand started burrowing past her shorts and undergarment, feeling the warmth of his fingers enveloping around her with ease. 

"Is he close?"

Already arching her back to the tingling sensation spreading through her body, the blushing woman knotted her fingers in the man's dark locks and rolled her hips to press herself wantonly against Kouji's hand. "Damnit, just kiss me already," she said impatiently and her fiancé gladly obeyed, locking their lips in a fully roused kiss that was sure to replenish _both_ their work-worn batteries, supplying each other surges of energy through one electrifying touch at a time.  
  


***  
  


3

Central Neighborhood  
  


"Then what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Yuki's voice strangely echoed as he spoke, but Mafuyu paid no mind to the sound-defying oddity as they walked on sandy ground. "Um… I don't know. I don't know yet," he answered, hearing the sound of crashing water nearby that he couldn't imagine how and where it was coming from. A bright sun shone above them yet the young boy hardly felt the stinging heat on his skin. On the pathway where they strolled, he also realized there were no shadows around their feet and thought it was merely hidden by the rough sand that crunched underneath his shoes with each step.

"Maybe a writer of sorts like your dad? Or a doctor for animals, that'd be cool," the casual-clothed teen guessed, wearing his plain shirt with the Pikachu sticker placed right at the center of his chest, exactly where Mafuyu had placed it several weeks ago. His sleeves were rolled up that showed the full length of his arms, he wore a right wristband and a few charm bracelets that accompanied the silver cuffs that adorned the shell of his ears.

"Maybe," the child replied, taking careful paces that wouldn't get too much sand inside his shoes and socks. "What if I want to play in a band? The one with my friend at school."

"Ohhh yeah, you mentioned that before. Nothing wrong with that too." Yuki shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "How was your birthday by the way? Did you have fun with your dad and had some cake?"

Mafuyu nodded his head vigorously to answer his friend's question.

"And you didn't forget to make a wish when you blew the candles?"

Another proud nod.

"Excellent." The student beamed.

"I wished next year when I turn seven, you'll also be there on my birthday."

Hearing the boy's reply, Yuki slowed down his walking pace and Mafuyu overtook him before noticing his older companion was now several steps behind him.

"You shouldn't have said that," the teen said with a sad smile. "Now it won’t come true."

Sounds of crashing water filled the empty silence as the child was left speechless for a few moments, unable to understand what the teen truly meant. "No, it _will_ come true… It _has_ to! It's _my_ wish!" he cried in growing unease, knitting his brows and wearing a frown.

Yuki showed no signs of worry by Mafuyu's curdling mood and stayed in his place, several steps away from the boy's side. "That's not how it works, kiddo. If you say your wish aloud, you lose it. Wrong timing not to keep quiet, huh."

"But… but…" The boy struggled to form words from his mix of troubled emotions. "Then I'll visit the shrine with Dad and make another wish!" he balled his hands into little fists, determined to prove his friend wrong.

"Hm. But if you did wish for something different and said it by mistake, that would have been more unfortunate, I think," Yuki said, resuming his stroll, overtaking Mafuyu's distance in a couple of easy strides. "Even if your birthday wish won't come true, I'm still here, right?"

The little one wasn't satisfied with the other's reply, casting his eyes down to his shoes and looking at the colorful grains of sand, pebbles, and broken corals around his feet. There was one seashell that caught his eye and he picked it up with his fingers, holding the small object like a precious magic gem. Dark blue was the striking color of the turnip shell that rested on his palm and Mafuyu found a charming loveliness to its appearance, tracing the circular groove of its shape that wound inward into a perfect spiral.

Blue, the boy thought, looking up at the sky what was strangely greyish white. He heard the crashing of water nearby that he couldn't see around him, the sun shone brightly over his head that cast no shadow around his feet. Mafuyu ran a few things over in his head that reminded him of the relaxing color and thought of a clear sky that looked most vivid during the summer. He recalled the dazzling lights during Christmas Eve, the music note toe socks he picked out for his friend's birthday, the baseball cap that the same friend wore when he visited his house for the first time. It was a pretty color, Mafuyu thought, and it made him think of happy memories with a blue-eyed boy he called his playmate, washing away his upset feelings along with the sound of crashing water around him.

"Wow! That's a cool thing you got there, sprout…"

The child whipped his head toward the sound of Yuki's echoing voice but suddenly found himself suddenly alone standing on the vast sandy ground. "Yuki-niichan?" he called out to his friend but heard no reply. "Yuki-niichan?!"

Again, no response.

He turned in every direction in rising panic, gripping the blue seashell tighter in his palm. There was no Yuki in his sight and Mafuyu's heartbeat began throbbing nervously in his chest, not knowing what he was going to do next.

"YUKI-NIICHAN!!!" The boy resorted to a desperate yell, letting his small voice pierce through the quiescence of the lonesome space.

"I'm still here," Yuki's voice finally answered, but his figure was nowhere to be found around the sandy open lot. "I’m still here, right?"

Mafuyu knew his friend was nearby and imagined him playing a clever trick on him. He gazed at the sky and found nothing; he crouched down and dug into the rough sand; he pulled off his shoes, checked his pockets, peered into the tiny opening of his blue seashell and yet found nothing.

"I'm still here…"

His search was getting him nowhere and was running out of ideas where the teen was hiding, and was almost ready to burst into tears until he noticed something colorful on his own clothing. At the center of his shirt, Mafuyu found the Pikachu sticker placed right above his heart and couldn't figure out how it got there.

"Mafuyu… Mafuyu?"

He opened his eyes to the kind voice of his father, gently nudging him awake. In place of the sun was the faint glow of his night light that colored his surroundings in a cozy amber hue. By instinct, his left hand at his side closed into a small fist and his fingers curled around nothing, plain empty air at the center of his palm where his pretty blue seashell had been.

"Hey there, you were making noises in your sleep." Haruki combed through his child's coppery hair with a concerned smile on his lips. "Another strange dream, little tiger?" 

Mafuyu buried his face into his pillow, sniffing the homely scent of his blanket and bedtime clothes, Haruki's floral-scented hair, Kedama's freshly washed and blow-dried fur. It took a while for him to realize his right hand was gripping the center of his pajama shirt and slowly uncurled his fingers from the cotton fabric. Why was he holding on to it that way? The boy couldn't remember, yet felt a vague pinch of melancholy about something from his dream.

"It's all right, Papa's here," his father said and placed a kiss on his hair. "You're safe here at home in your bed. I'm here, same with Kedama. When you wake up later, it will be bright and cheerful outside. Mr. Sun will be waiting for you to come out and play in the park."

He curled into a tight ball as he blinked sleepily, seeing the shadows and dark corners that lurked around the peaceful room.

"I can read a bedtime storybook for you if you want."

The boy shook his head with his eyelids already fluttering close, lulled by Haruki's soothing voice that made him think of a butterfly landing on his tiny nose. His father propped a stuffed animal at his side to keep him company and he gratefully wrapped his arms around the soft toy, finding himself clinging to a fuzzy dolphin that was half his size under his warm blanket. The dolphin was blue and Mafuyu smiled contentedly as he cuddled the plush animal, falling back to sleep with a faraway sound of crashing waves echoing somewhere from his soon-forgotten dream. 


	16. Chapter 16

End of Winter

Mid-March  
  


1

Central Neighborhood  
  


"Pass pass pass!" one child said, waving a ready hand in the air.

"Here!" another boy replied, bouncing the basketball to his teammate who caught it with both hands. "Nice catch!"

"Ricchan, it's all yours!"

Ritsuka received the last pass and took his aim at the waiting hoop adjusted to a child-friendly height. His tongue peeped at the corner of his mouth as he bent his knees then sprung from the ground in an energetic jump, launching the ball into the air. The orange sphere traveled in one graceful arch from his spot in the court and landed slightly off-center on the hoop. All the kids held their breaths as they watched the ball bounce around the metal rim until gravity pulled the object to the ground outside of the circle, and was caught by an opponent player.

"Don't mind! Don't mind! Make the next one count!" Akihiko cheered for his son as he sat on a nearby bench at a tree-shaded corner of the outdoor court. Other supportive mothers also gave their encouragement to their children playing a friendly round of the sport, making Akihiko the only male parent among the gathered ladies and wives around the wire-fenced open lot.

"Mafuyu-chan, be light on your feet!" Yayoi added next to Akihiko, donning her new shoulder-length hair for her supporting role in an office-romance drama. She has her phone tilted to landscape view with the camera app set to video mode, capturing the boys' game under a cloudy weekend afternoon sky. The copper-haired boy waved at her as he stood nearer to the opposite basketball ring where his teammates guarded their other half of the court, and she happily waved back with a bright smile. "Think Haruki-san's meeting will end soon and watch with us? I think Team Mafuyu is going to win."

Akihiko adjusted the hood of his black baseball cap, still having plenty of hope for the rival Team Ritsuka. "It's only a three-point lead. Nothing's over until the last minute," he said and Yayoi chuckled as she continued recording the game. "Haruki said he might take longer with his meeting but offered to bring something for the kids."

After Mafuyu's team landed a two-point shot, the spectators clapped their hands and a new notification banner appeared on Yayoi's phone screen. She paused her recording, tapped on the answer button, and received her call with a bemused face.

"Yellow?" she greeted, and Akihiko already had a good idea who was on the other line. "I'm here with Akihiko near the main park… Your consultation's taking longer?... Ah. Sure, it's fine. I found your missing sock under the dryer this morning, by the way. Mystery solved," the woman tucked a lock of hair behind her left ear. "See you before dinner time then… 'kay…" then she lowered her voice and added last-minute, "love you," and ended the call.

Ritsuka's team scored another three points, catching up to their opponent's score by two numbers short and Akihiko clapped his hands in support of the boys' efforts to play in earnest vigor. "Say, Take-san was the one who thought of living together at your current place, right?" he asked while watching the 5 and 6-year-old children dribble and pass the ball among their teammates with their agile feet, hearing the tiny squeaks of their shoes as they ran and scattered around the playing court.

"Yeah. Kouij bought up the idea back three years ago. He had a senpai in his first job who moved-in to a new suite at that time. We were initially thinking of main Tokyo but it was either a needle-in-a-haystack or a crazy free-for-all hunt. Both of us sat back from it all and just said 'No thank you,'" Yayoi replied, side-glancing at Akihiko who was still focused on the game. "Rui-san and Ugetsu-san live in a shared place too, don't they? They're your next-building neighbors."

The tall man considered her remark, briefly overlooking the children to stare at the quiet neighborhood scape on the brink of spring; among the usual buildings and house roofs was the pop of white-pink color from a few cherry blossom trees that had begun blooming earlier that year. "They've done more help than I can remember, it's weird when they know when to show up sometimes."

"Hmm, if it’s for a two-person living space, there are a lot of options out there." Yayoi slanted her lips as she pondered. "For a _four_ -person unit… it'll definitely need some more digging around for sure, but hey, you'll never know when the tables turn."

A long whistle wheezed from the side of the court announcing the end of the game, but Akihiko felt the sound was more of a policewoman who caught him red-handed about his particular trail of thought.

"Wait, did I assume wrong?" she blinked, then both of them heard applause and cheers from the mothers sitting in the other nearby benches and bleachers. They faced the court and found the children bowing to each other and saying their thanks. Ritsuka shook hands and high-fived players from the opposing team with a wide grin, and when it came to Mafuyu's turn, he shared a fist-bump with his friend instead.

The referee signaled for the teams to line up facing each other in two neat columns and hand signaled for the children's cue. "Thank you very much for the game!" the young players bowed to each other, then turned to their audience and did the same thing. "Thank you very much!" they said to the parents and guardians who stood from their seats and clapped their hands to congratulate both teams. 

A ping rang in Akihiko's pocket and he fished out his phone while Yayoi went to meet Ritsuka and Mafuyu, bringing the boys' water bottles in each hand.

'Not yet done. I'll make up for this later. How's the game?' Haruki's message said.

'Won't tell spoilers. You can ask the kids when you get back,' he replied.

'Injustice!'

The man smirked, easily imagining his partner with an annoyed face. 'When you get back, you'll know.'

'Fine. Will update again when I'm done. I'll buy something for the boys on the way home.'

'What will you get?' Akihiko waited for a while until Haruki sent his answer.

'No spoilers for you either.'

He laughed and typed his last response, 'We'll see you later then,' and tucked away his phone in his pocket. 

Seeing the scoreboard and the children's tired but content faces, Akihiko could only guess what his partner was going to buy for Mafuyu and Ritsuka after finishing his work; but what made his heart flutter in almost equal joy was how Haruki easily mentioned the word 'home'. His boy waved at him with his bangs stuck to his sweaty forehead while Yayoi was busy toweling Mafuyu's damp hair, and Akihiko sighed with a smile as he joined them at the court, hearing a flock of birds pass overhead; their sweet chirps and twitters seemingly as excited to welcome the season of new beginnings.  
  


***  
  


Early Spring

Late March  
  


2

Yamanoue High School  
  


The perfectly aligned rows of students wearing their crisp uniforms sat in their folding chairs as Principal Shibata gave his closing speech to end another school year. Sitting with his co-teachers at the side of the gymnasium hall, 31-year-old Murata Ugetsu watched the hands of the giant wall clock near the exit door move in precise beats, ticking away the minutes of another closing ceremony on a 1 o'clock afternoon in early spring.

Vases of lilies, chrysanthemums, and gerberas decorated the foot of the podium and along the edge of the stage. Brooches of carnations, irises, daisies, and other small flowers sat proudly on the left breast pockets of the third-year students as they sat straight in their seats in front of the wide platform that was bathed in warm lights. On the pupils' laps were more vibrant flowers; bouquets of roses and peonies that they received from their homeroom advisers, accompanied by the most important item of them all—the dark-colored tubes that contained the formal diplomas they received from the senior headteacher when they marched up the stage one by one in disciplined order.

"And now we shall have our batch representatives to end this day with a flourish," Yukimura said and stepped away from the podium as two male students made their way up the stage, cueing the rest of their batchmates to rise from their seats and shrug off the top layer of their uniforms.

"Okay, let's make this a good one, guys!" one of them said on the high platform, holding his gakuran jacket in one hand. "Gaaah, I'm getting emotional!" he gushed and the rest of his schoolmates laughed and giggled along with him.

"EVERYONE, AT THE READY!" the other pupil called out to his fellow seniors, his voice loud and clear that could be heard from the last row of the guest seats. The rest of the attendees inside the hall sat in mute silence as the students waited for the right signal, all their eyes trained on the two teenagers on the stage who mirrored the wide grins of their classmates' faces.

"READY, SET!"

In one fleeting moment, the third-year students tossed their blazers and jackets high above their heads, forming a dramatic canopy of black fabrics and flower petals in the air, bidding farewell to all their high school days until gravity pulled their uniforms back gently into their hands. They cheered, they hooted, others already began to cry. Soon after, loud applause from the parents, teachers, and other undergraduate students resonated in the gymnasium hall to praise their grand moment of achievement.

Ugetsu clapped beside Inoue and Ms. Belle in their corner with the other teachers, seeing another batch of Yamanoue graduates dressed in their high school attire and leave the premises one last time as their students, ready to start another chapter in their pre-adult lives. The giant golden ball that hung at the main exit of the gymnasium cracked open and the second-years began sprinkling handfuls of confetti from the surrounding balcony; Ugetsu always likened the picturesque scenery to cherry blossoms fluttering away from their branches in the peak of spring.

Greeting parents and bidding his goodbyes near the main building of the campus, Ugetsu spotted a fallen peony brooch on the ground and picked it up with his slender fingers. "Homura, you dropped this," he called to his now-former student. The teen was already cradling an extra bouquet of pink roses, around his neck were additional flower leis that the 3-4 class rep distributed to her classmates earlier, and on his left hand was his shiny diploma tube that contained his official certificate and special award.

"Congratulations on placing fifth in your class," the third-year literature teacher said, seeing the generously floral-decorated youth standing before him.

"Sensei… I…" Homura's eyes were downcast, his lips slightly parted, ready to utter a few words but no voice came out from his agape mouth. 

"Taichi!"

Ugetsu heard a foreign voice and saw a young man dressed in semi-formal attire approach them with an uncanny resemblance to his former student.

"There you are. Mum and Dad said they'll wait in the car, but don't take too long," the person said and noticed the teacher's presence. He bowed low before the person to show his respect and found a quaint surprise when the adult gently handed him the student's fallen brooch. "Oh. My brother's a silly clutz sometimes. Thank you very much, sensei," he said, taking the flower accessory.

"Well then, I'll be going around to see the other teachers now. Good work, Homura," Ugetsu said, excusing himself from the two siblings.

"Murata-sensei…" the fresh graduate student called with a slightly quivering voice, and his former teacher looked at him from behind his shoulder. He then bowed a full 90-degrees to the third-year instructor and afterward, returned a small yet heartfelt smile.

His teacher nodded in approval, similar to his nods in all the lectures they had during the past three semesters; all four seasons of scrapbook-worthy memories and a mix of hell that neither of them wanted to be forgotten too soon. Ugestu took one last look at the Homura siblings with a similar upward curl on his lips, turned his heels, and confidently strode away into the crowd until he was gone from the boys' sight.

"Um, Yagi-san… here."

Shizusumi found a batchmate approaching him with blushing cheeks. She placed the second button from her blazer jacket on his palm and gave a respectful bow.

Hiiragi stared speechless at what was happening and felt a tug in his heart, unsure how his close friend was going to respond.

"Thank you very much for this school year!" she said without a waver in her tone. "I know you won't return my feelings but just know you were an amazing classmate!"

Accepting her small gift, Shizusumi nodded to her and said a quiet thanks, then the student gave him one last grin before disappearing into the crowd of students, parents, teachers, and other guests outside the school gymnasium.

"Are you… also going to give away yours?" Hiiragi asked but was oddly facing away from his friend's stoic expression.

"No," Shizusumi answered, flicking away stray pieces of confetti he found in the other's hair. "A guitar pick is more useful than a button."

"Huuuuuuhh. We're not in the practice studio right now in case you haven't noticed?"

The dark-haired friend only replied with silence, concentrating on getting one last stubborn morsel of colored paper stuck on Hiiragi's hair while their friend Yuki caught sight of them in the emotional crowd.

"D'aww. Is it just me or am I also seeing a different kind of ceremony right now?" He joined the two friends near the side of the event hall. He wore a white poppy as his flower brooch and his uniform jacket still had all its buttons in their proper places.

"Where were you? The class rep was looking for you a while ago," the confetti-free Hiiragi asked.

"He actually means: 'You promised to treat us after this,'" Shizusumi supplied to their other friend.

"That's why I looked for you two, didn't I?"

Making their way through the scattered crowd, the three fresh graduates headed toward the main gate of their campus one final time as students of Yamanoue High, feeling the certain weight of their diploma tubes in their hands as they faced the vast ocean-blue sky.

"We saw your mom a while ago," Hiiragi said, tucking his diploma under his armpit and crossing his arms as they walked.

Yuki raised his arms over his head and arched his back, stretching like a tired cat ready to take his afternoon nap. "Yeah, don't worry. She said to take our time. We've already packed most of the bulkier things at home and told me to let her handle the rest for today."

"Don't they have longer winter breaks up north?" Shizusumi asked, sandwiching the shorter Hiiragi between Yuki and himself.

"Almost a week longer, but summer breaks are shorter to make up for it. Every Jan and Feb, the place becomes a winter wonderland, you two should come see."

"The only time I'll go up there for you would be to shove a giant snowball in your face," the middle teen seethed.

"And Shizu-chan can warm you up as much as you want!"

Yuki grinned and Hiiragi blushed, then following two wordless seconds after, Shizusumi's stomach made an audible growl.

"I haven't had breakfast yet, so prepare your wallet." The tallest boy broke their silence.

"You are literally going to _pay_ for this."

The teen with sandy blonde hair chortled, looking at his two friends who still had a hard time smiling despite the celebration-worthy occasion. "Why are you guys acting like I'm entering a different realm and never coming back? Geez! I'm studying there for a scholarship since it's the one that accepted my application. The ones here in Tokyo said nope, so fine, we looked outside the box and her hometown answered," Yuki said casually. "Mum has relatives there who also know a place for a part-time job I can cover, yadda-yadda. It's only the first leg of the plan, but I want to finish the journey back _here_ , 'kay? I'm not allowing this day to be the last time we see each other either, for pity's sake."

"…But you're going to treat us anyway. Period," Hiiragi retorted with a half-grin.

"Plus SNS updates at least twice a month," Shizusumi added. "So we could see your hair turning white for real from all that heavy studying stuff."

"Okay, _okay_ ," Yuki acquiesced to his friends' demands, but fondly noted them down in his head. "Next time I see you two again though, both of you should already be comfortable holding hands or I'll entwine them myself and seal them with my ice powers."  
  
  


West Neighborhood  
  


Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

The person stepped back to examine his collection of souvenir magnets arranged into a five-point star on the fridge door and hooked a thumb under his chin. After a good five seconds, he swiped his hand across the entire shiny surface and heard the noisy clatter of the objects landing the hardwood floor. One point of the star was crooked and he didn't want that. The man gathered the fallen items one by one and tried again.

Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

The musician was placing the last few magnets into a vague half-circle when his phone dinged in his blazer jacket.

'Going for after-grad drinks with some faculty,' the message read and Ruito clicked his tongue, hovering his thumb over the reply box. He typed 'Guess that means a solo shopping date for me', then erased it. 'Good work today,' he erased that too. 'Well shone, Moon!—Truly, the moon shines with a good grace,' he quoted Shakespeare but pressed hard on the backspace button soon after. 'OK', he entered dully into the reply box, pressed Send, and internally groaned.

After putting the last magnet to complete his simple art piece, the man succumbed to its finished entirety and decided he wanted a glass of water. He took a pitcher and poured himself a serving, then realized he wasn't even thirsty in the first place. Ruito took a sip of the chilled drink, then proceeded to finish the entire glass that tasted of nothing in particular. He studied the magnets on the fridge door and wondered why he had formed the shape so quickly, fitting the odd shapes of the objects cohesively like one giant puzzle piece that was waiting for him to be solved.

As expected, there was no more reply after his sent message and he succumbed to _that_ finished conversation in cold silence. After breathing a de-stressing sigh, Ruito rinsed his drinking glass, placed it back on the dish rack, and dried his hands with the kitchen towel. He made one last glance on the fridge door, then made his way to the empty living area to join a friend who was in need of a caring touch.

"How long have you been hurting under there, hmm?" he spoke endearingly to a violin sitting on the sofa, running a gentle hand over the fretboard and the elegant curl of the scroll knob at the end of the neck. The wooden instrument only had three fixed strings, the fourth was snapped into two pieces at the bridge of the instrument like a painful gaping wound; one long strand dangled from its peg, and the shorter half barely hung from the tailpiece.

"You'd have to pardon me when I handle you later on," Ruito said, and laid the object back in its case, closed the lid, and fastened back the metal clasps. The weight of the violin case was easier to move than his viola and the man took extra caution not to take the lighter instrument for granted. Checking the house keys in his pocket, he slipped on his shoes at the genkan and unlatched the main lock, stepped outside into the bright spring afternoon sun and quietly shut the door.  
  


***  
  


3

Central Neighborhood  
  


A surge of vertigo woke Haruki from his unplanned sleep in his office chair as his head tilted sideways along with his upper body, nearly leading him to fall shoulder first on the living room floor. Hurriedly blinking himself awake, he grabbed the edge of his work table to steady himself back in his seat and waited for the fog to clear in his head as he re-gathered his bearings.

4:15 p.m. was current time on his laptop screen and Haruki decided he had churned enough paragraphs for three straight hours that afternoon and needed a small rejuvenating break. "Mafuyu…" he called to his 6-year-old boy when he entered their bedroom to wake his napping child. "I fell asleep too, my mistake…"

But the father only found an empty futon and a beady-eyed Kedama staring up at him with no copper-haired boy to be found. "Mafuyu?" Haruki called around the room, yet sensed no other noise aside from the soft panting sounds of the small white dog.

"Where are you?" he slid aside the bathroom door and found it similarly unoccupied. Then he headed to their closets and split aside the hung clothes, only to be greeted with eerie silence and Haruki only furrowed his brows.

"Are we playing a game?" The lone man roamed around the apartment, checking the kitchen, the utility room, behind the big hampers that could fit a small child. "All right, Papa yields. You have to come out now," he said to the empty living space and waited for a few seconds.

Still, no Mafuyu appeared out his clever hiding place and Haruki was beginning to think if he was stuck in a lucid dream.

A wind blew the white sheer curtains almost ghost-like in his periphery and the parent felt a weight in his chest seeing the open sliding doors that led to the balcony. Haruki's mouth ran dry as he took one cautious step after another, heading towards the empty clothesline that hung taught just above his head. He held his breath and looked over the railing, and all he saw was a flat sheet of asphalt grey from his view, five floors up from his apartment unit. The worried father took a half-relieved sigh and went back inside the living room.

Now facing the door that ushered to the genkan, Haruki felt a strange pang in his gut that led his feet to keep pacing forward in a straight line. He padded to the small corridor that led to the main entryway and checked the shoes arranged neatly on the rack. When he found one pair of Mafuyu's shoes missing, it was only then that Haruki's heart heavily dropped to his stomach and hardly noticed he wasn't even breathing. Backpedaling a few steps in the narrow hallway, he then rushed to his workspace in the living area to quickly grab his phone. As soon as he pocketed some important belongings, he dashed back the genkan and slipped on his shoes, stepped out of the already-unlatched door and out into the late spring afternoon sun.

The sky was still a lovely ocean blue before it turned indigo as the day would slowly turn into night, but all Haruki could think about was the growing emptiness in his chest, scanning the streets of his neighborhood decorated with falling cherry blossoms but with no Mafuyu in his sight. He fumbled for his phone as he struggled not to lose his sanity, scrolled over his contacts list until he found the name 'Kaji Akihiko' and pressed the word 'Call'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- [A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act V, Scene 1.](https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/msnd/page_168/)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Read with a light heart.  
> \- Random plug: Segment 1-2 was inspired by [this song](https://youtu.be/Gk7F6SfBnM4) by Lucklife. English translation can be read [here](https://www.jpopasia.com/lucklife/lyrics/341828/life-is-beautiful/kimi-no-nioi-%E5%90%9B%E3%81%AE%E5%8C%82%E3%81%84/).  
> \- 02/22: Last 2 chapters to be posted soon.

Early Spring

Late March  
  


1

Main Tokyo  
  


Everywhere he turned, Mafuyu saw a surreal expanse of a crystalline water realm; a squadron of manta rays floated overhead, along with a sea turtle that wore a barnacle-encrusted shell; schools of purple and yellow tang fish gathered at a nearby coral forest where starfish lazed around in its nooks and crannies; pufferfish and a couple of seahorses floundered around the seagrass and flower-shaped anemones.

There was enough blue as far as his eyes could see, almost thinking he was in another dream. Mafuyu realized it looked similar to the sparkling light tunnel he saw on Christmas Eve, but this time made him think of warm sand and the easing sound of crashing water, picking up colorful seashells and stashing them in his pockets.

"If I wish hard enough at a shrine, can you stay a bit longer?" he asked his friend as they strolled along the ocean life passageway in delicate silence. 

"I don't think that's how it works, kiddo," the turquoise-blonde Yuki replied, observing the smiley-faced underbellies of the giant manta rays roaming freely above their heads. "Now when we get back, you know what to do first and foremost." 

The 6-year-old nodded ruefully, casting his gaze at his feet. "I say sorry to Papa for going out without telling him."

"Aaaaaand?"

"And… I won't do it again."

Yuki patted the boy's head with a sigh, seeing silver webs of water reflections dancing on Mafuyu's cobalt-coppery hair. "How do you know the sea when you haven't visited one before?" he asked, opening his palms to the view of tranquil underwater life in their surroundings.

"I had a dream when I woke up from my nap… I think. You were there at first and then you were gone. I was hearing water around the place and there was lots of sand in my shoes."

"Similar to a beach?"

The little one mutely expressed his reply.

"You know, those places are awesome to visit during the summer. You can go with Kedama and maybe even with your friend Ritsuka," he said with a hopeful smile. "It might be a bit tough at first, but soon you'll find lots of new things to be happy about, buddy. Now don't start saying you want to go with me and all that snotty crying stuff, that's not going to do anything. You have lots to do around here and you're also going to school, same as me! Besides, you're going to play in a band with your friend, remember?"

Mafuyu listened to Yuki's voice as they continued along the sea pathway with a few visitors passing by. With each forward step, the child could only wish he was moving backwards instead, further away from the end of the serene blue lane that reminded him of his previous summer; a bright hot sun, Kedama's cloudy white fur, sweet ice cream, and birthday songs, a clumsy strum of a small acoustic guitar.

"Are you really coming back?"

"Sure as night and day," Yuki spoke with certainty. "Look, you have your dad here, right? I also have one parent; I have a mum. She works hard for both of us, and now that I'm a… a sort of big boy now, I want to show her that Yuki-niichan can also work hard like her in a bigger school. Does that make sense? Aaahh, I don't know if that makes sense for you…"

"Maybe," the other pondered, "maybe I'll understand when I get older?"

"That actually sounds better than I was thinking," the older friend said, quite pleased with Mafuyu's reply. "Nice one, kiddo."

"Can I see you before you go?" the small one looked up at the teen as they approached the end of the path that led to a different area of the aquarium hall.

"Naw, sprout. It'd be too early for you in the morning," Yuki answered. "We'll remember those rainbow jellyfish and cool baby sharks and cute starfish, lots of sunny thoughts, eh?" he poked Mafuyu's plump cheek, jostling away the boy's glum ideas out his head. "Ah, but it's going to be dark soon and I have some apologizing to do myself for whisking you away to a place like this. I'd be an idiot to not expect your dad lopping my head off if I return you past rush hour…"

He hesitated to drop the finishing words, suddenly torn by the frown on his friend's face.

"Aww, buddy. Aren't you tired yet? Come on, I bet you're hungry and we can grab a little snack on our way back. Oh! And remember I hid a surprise gift for you back at Hanamaru? Don't you want to find out what that is before it gets dark? The trains are going to be _ridiculously_ crowded soon and you could get squished! Squished flat like a pancake!" he made similar pressing gestures with his hands. "How will I explain to your dad when I present to him a flattened Mafuyu later on?"

After an emotionally tiring graduation ceremony with his schoolmates, close friends, and a sudden twist of events, Yuki found the sweet ring of the boy's laughter as the best sound to end his long day. Without another word, he offered his hand and to his relief, the child held it without a heavy thought.

As the exited the long passageway and said their goodbyes to the sea creatures and daydreaming fish, the 18-year-old boy took one last look at the marine-colored tunnel feeling oddly refreshed akin to diving deep into the ocean on a hot summer day, the heavy ache in his chest now gone like an invisible hole in his heart had magically healed.  
  


***  
  


2

Central Neighborhood  
  


One sigh for tiredness, a second to vent out his frustration, then a third for the embarrassing scene he had caused earlier in the afternoon that his brain gladly kept replaying over and over in his head without remorse.

"If it makes you feel better, you actually sound cute when you're stressed over things like these," Akihiko said next to him, reading 6:10 on the wall clock that hung above the deserted Hanamaru Animal Shelter reception desk. 

"Aaaaaaarrghhhhhh," Haruki groaned into his hands that covered his face. "Can we turn back time, please? This entire day? And might as well brainwash everyone including myself that I overreacted about my boy leaving the house by himself? He's starting elementary and it should be normal already for any growing boy to do these days."

Observing the wisps of steam from their waiting teacups on the low table, Akihiko reclined on the lounge sofa, tempted to run his hand down the other's back but reconsidered the thought. "Kids do unexpected things all the time though, it's normal to get your feathers ruffled a bit now and then," he told the other parent. "I'd probably panic a bit too if Rikka goes missing with no idea where he went. Mafuyu was smart to come here, of all places to look for his friend. Though the folks outright telling him Yoshida-kun won't be around anymore was pouring fuel on a campfire, but meh, they didn't know that."

"Today is Yoshida-kun's graduation, Akihiko. He wasn't supposed to get an urgent call from the shelter telling him they had a bawling Mafuyu looking for him. Instead of celebrating for his day, he went right here to see the little guy," Haruki said, letting his partner's calming green eyes unravel the knots in his stomach.

"Choosing the aqua park in Shinagawa is a bit of a stretch. Then again, it's less than a day before he departs from Tokyo so live and let live, I guess," the taller man added, wishing he could properly see the other's work-worn face. "The two sound pretty close."

"Mafuyu even chased him in the middle of traffic one time, remember?" Haruki looked at him from behind his shoulder.

Caught off-guard by the reply, Akihiko only nodded, trying to get the bitter aftertaste in his mouth as he recalled the story back in late autumn. 

"Yoshida-kun messaged the staff half an hour ago that they're on their way back. They should be here before seven." 

Surveying the lounge area of the closed establishment, the other parent found a comfortable silence sitting alone with Haruki without anyone to pry into their conversation. "Say…" he started, and his partner met his gaze behind his entwined fingers. "Maybe if someone else was also there in the apartment when Mafuyu woke up, this would have been less messy for you and didn't have to panic for all this."

His partner showed a concerned face. "Akihiko, I'm not going to hire a nanny for this blunder. It was mainly on me, catching up to my deadline. If I wasn't so tired working, I wouldn't have fallen asleep and heard him wake up before he went out the door."

"I meant _me_ ," the other clarified. "What if _I_ was there that time with you when you fell asleep. Me and Rikka, to be exact."

Straightening his back, Haruki lowered his interlaced hands on his lap as he slowly processed what his partner was beginning to imply.

"It's only an idea. No one's jumping to any hasty conclusions for now; that's the lesson we've learned as single parents today," Akihiko showed a reassuring smile, still relaxed in his seat next to the wordless Nakayama Haruki. Seeing the man's amber eyes glance around the room, he began debating whether or not to kiss his partner's slightly agape mouth to rouse him from his trance when they both heard a soft-spoken voice break the heavy silence in the empty reception lounge.

"Dad?" Mafuyu saw his father sitting in one corner of the room with colored cheeks, and Yuki didn't say another word as he watched the boy approach the faintly blushing parent.

"Eh!" Haruki merely squeaked, taken by surprise at the unannounced presence of his child in the building. The boy wore his favorite black and red sneakers—the exact pair of footwear missing from their shoe rack at home, his hair was tousled more than usual, but the light in his eyes hardly showed traces of sadness unlike what he was told earlier that day.

"Why is Papa all red??" Mafuyu asked Akihiko with an accusing look and the man showed his palms in easy surrender.

"I didn't fight him. I'm innocent," he immediately refuted, dreading if the boy was going to get angry and officially label him as Public Enemy No. 1.

"And I should be guilty as charged," Yuki spoke up, bowing low to the two adults and kept his view on the clean tiled floor. "I took Mafuyu for a small trip on my own whim, without Haruki-san's permission. The shelter called while I was heading home after a treat with friends, they told me he was throwing a fit and couldn't calm him down. I didn't know how to make him stop crying either, and the first thing that came to my head was a place to get his mind off of all this," he explained, keeping his eyes at his feet. "I kept sweeping this under the rug from Mafuyu as long as I could, thinking I didn't want him to be upset… but it came to me that it was actually me who didn't want to face these difficult feelings the most and it blew up in my face."

Already expecting a long sermon for his brash decisions, he was unsure that Mafuyu's father dismissed his apologetic gesture without a single wrinkle between his brows.

"That place you chose seemed to do the trick," Haruki said composedly. "Yoshida-kun, you set aside the rest of your day for my son, even though you could've spent it enjoying your graduation with friends. It meant a lot—a helpful lot—how you cared for Mafuyu and gave him plenty of good memories about today, all the while I was… handling other matters at home," he admitted honestly, while his child shyly tugged at his sleeve to borrow his attention for a brief moment.

"Dad, I… I didn't mean to leave all of a sudden," the young one spoke to Haruki. "After waking up from my nap, I wanted to see Yuki-niichan, but you were asleep. Yesterday, you were also sleeping in your chair, same as the other day. I thought it was okay to go out for practice going to school and surprise you that I can do it by myself."

"You're growing up, little man. Papa understands that better now," the father said, rubbing his child's back. "Yuki-niichan did a good job looking after you today, didn't he?" he added and the boy nodded as his answer.

"He said when Papa falls asleep again in his chair, I should put Kedama on his lap so he can lick Papa awake instead."

"A convenient alarm clock," Akihiko blurted out after staying quiet for some time, and Yuki sealed his lips before a chortle escaped from his mouth. 

"Mafuyu?"

The copper-haired boy whipped his head toward a distinct voice coming from the open door of the staff room. A pair of ocean-colored eyes stared goggle-eyed at him and the boy felt a warm tide wash over his senses as he laid sight on his close friend.

"Ritsuka-kun?"

"You're back! You're okay!" his playmate enthused, rushing to meet him with his arms hugging a guitar bag that towered his height. "The nice lady showed me all the doggies and kitties in the back room and they were really friendly! I even played with a black kitty; he has green eyes like Papa and makes this funny dance when he tries to get the catnip thinggy with a string… and I found this cool red guitar in the main room and the lady said it was yours! It's from your friend named Yuki-niichan. Who's Yuki-niichan??" Ritsuka paused when he noticed an unfamiliar presence of a blonde teenager in the room. "Um. Hello," he said with a curious blink.

"Hi." Yuki helplessly eyed his late birthday gift while the boy gave a short bow.

"I'm Ritsuka."

"Yoshida Yuki." The teen stared back. "Gee, I wonder where that hand-me-down thing came from," he pointed to Mafuyu with his nose.

"Oh." Ritsuka handed over the instrument to this his playmate, holding it by the straps and holders until the other was carrying it securely with his own hands. "Do you also play guitar?"

"I played in my school's culture festival. Of course, I can!" Yuki preened, placing his hands on his hips. "And you, small dude?"

"Dad teaches me how to play, he knows all sorts of stuff," the boy mirrored the proud pose while Akihiko slurped his lukewarm tea and focused his attention elsewhere in the room.

"That’s awesome," Yuki said as he retrieved a diploma tube he had left at the reception desk earlier that afternoon. "It's fun learning how to play music, right? You get to feel different emotions and it keeps you company while you're doing other things. Even my phone has lots of songs on it and I made different playlists to listen to for the long trip with my Mum…"

"Where are you going?" Ritsuka asked candidly and both parents froze at the boy's sudden outspoken question.

"I'm heading north where lots of people visit for the snow." Yuki pointed upward to illustrate his point, and the boy's head gullibly followed the direction of his finger and stared up at the white ceiling.

"North? Will there be TV up there? And a radio?"

The youth snorted and Akihiko mentally facepalmed, while Mafuyu insisted on trying on his second-hand guitar bag with his father's assistance. The straps still fitted loosely over the boy's shoulders and Haruki had to support most of the weight with his hands, but mouthed a grateful 'Thank you' to the proud student all the same.

"Yep! It's still a city, same as here in Machida, only colder during the winter and most of the cool ice sculptures and snow festivals you see on TV all happen there. Why, you're going to be a famous guitarist and appear on a music show when you grow up?"

Ritsuka beamed at him and Yuki noticed the gemstone sheen in the boy's eyes. "When Mafuyu and I make a band, then you can listen to us!"

"Ahhh, that is something I would _love_ to hear one day," he said, imagining how the two boys would look in their maturing years.

"Yeah, that way it will be more fun like we're also there when you play in the snow and make ice sculptures 'n' stuff."

"You're a brilliant sapling there," he told Ritsuka, admiring the summer-blue pupils of the lively boy that reminded him of the deep refreshing ocean. Yuki offered a fist bump, which his new friend returned with a toothy grin. "That idea alone is enough to keep me warm all winter long."   
  


***  
  


3

West Neighborhood  
  


When Ugetsu opened his eyes to the sound of a new notification on his phone that 7:30 in the evening, he set aside the soft fleece blanket draped over him that wasn't even there before he fell asleep.

'Mafuyu is back. He's okay,' Akihiko's message read, and he sighed in relief, learning that Haruki's 6-year-old boy was found safe after disappearing earlier that noon.

'Duly and thankfully noted,' he replied as he puffed at his bangs. Swiping back to check his inbox, he pursed his lips after seeing no other recent messages, especially from a certain someone he hasn't seen all day to his chagrin; his unique snowflake cohabitant and classical musician husband named Asahi-currently-missing-Ruito.

Three unanswered rings, then a fourth, and a fifth; Ugetsu ended the call and gritted his teeth. _'Where in the damn world are you?'_ he hissed, switching on the other lights around the apartment, filling the dark and empty space with a bright and cozy hue. _'It can't be night time forever,'_ the exhausted teacher mused, roaming freely around the living area until he spotted the glint of a silver ribbon on his work desk that sat atop his violin case, and beside it was a small boxed parcel that he already knew the contents by its mere ordinary shape.

More unanswered rings; Ugetsu was close to screaming at the top of his lungs as he approached his table and pulled out the small envelope tucked under the silk ribbon.

 _'365 days and nights, 365 times the sun and moon chased each other across one sky. While one is awake, the other is asleep. Though seen apart, they meet in luminous dreams,'_ he read the familiar handwriting of his still-absent spouse. Ugetsu unfastened the metal clasps of his violin case and opened the lid as though he was disturbing a slumbering fairy immersed in their blissful fantasies.

"You audacious liar," he said to his 4-stringed violin, dialing Ruito's number for a third time on his phone. "To have the nerve to caution me that you're far from romantic after we got engaged, but what is this now, Rui? What do you call all this, hm?" he huffed at the instrument and made his way to the corridor that led to the genkan.

A pair of dress shoes facing the front door laid neatly on the mat and the confused teacher raised his eyebrow right before his call was finally picked up on the other line.

"It's nearing eight. Your shoes are here, but I'm still by myself," he said impatiently without even a friendly greeting. "Rui, I already saw it. Now stop playing around."

The deafening stillness that answered made Ugetsu feel he was an overstretched violin string himself, ready to snap at any moment and unleash a fountain of sharp words forming on his tongue.

"It's a bit shivery up here, you better bring a jacket," Ruito's distant voice came through at last.

 _'Bring WHERE??'_ the other stared dully at the ceiling with the dimmer lights casting their sunny glow above his head. _'Oh, you have got to be kidding me,'_ he resisted to smash his phone against the wall or set it on fire, slipped on his pair of shoes and stepped out of the front door.

There was Orion's Belt, same as always on the undisturbed canvas of black sky that evening; the easiest three consecutive dots that formed the mid-section of the Orion constellation that Ruito personally called The Floating Ellipsis.

Dot-dot-dot; in written Earth language, it was added to a phrase or a sentence that alluded to missing words yet still had a complete meaning, letting the reader finish the remaining thought in their head. What was the universe trying to say then? Ruito had always been fascinated by that boundless idea; what dangling words was the infinite breadth of space trying to say to the wee inhabitants of Earth; humans, animals, visible and invisible entities, undiscovered organisms and dying species?

Lost in his reflections, the ruminating musician sighed in wonder as he stared at the heavens and smiled at the crescent moon that accompanied him in the far city horizon.

"ASAHI RUITO! Get your notoriously devious existence down here this instant!" Ugetsu's clearly upset voice called from below, but the man barely stirred from his laid position on the tiled penthouse roof. "And why are you only wearing socks?!"

The person turned his head to see his atypically frazzled husband looking up at him as the chilly evening breeze swayed his soft raven-black hair. "You didn't bring a jacket either," he said, shrugging flippantly.

"One wrong slip and I swear I am NOT going to wrap any more sprained ankles because it'd be a nurse who'll be doing that for you while you're incapacitated in a hospital bed!"

After sitting up on the sloped roof, the unruffled musician pocketed his phone in his jersey jacket and stretched his long legs, completely not bothered that he was seven floors up from the ground—or make that eight if he included the small penthouse itself that sat on top of the apartment complex roof deck.

"It's around 10 a.m. right now where my cousin is. We had a nice chat and she told me about her new place there in Bristol," he began. "Yeah. Her neighborhood is pretty friendly and some tenants in her building are also foreigners so that was nice to hear. When she wakes up in the morning, she thinks about rehearsals or showing up for an audition, meeting-up with her mentors and rubbing elbows with all sorts of people."

If his husband pursed his lips any longer, Ruito wouldn't be surprised if the silently furious man broke a window by punching it with his bare fist. Still not showing signs of moving from his place, he watched his partner turn his heels and settle in his corner of the roof deck similar to Akihiko's son Ritsuka stomping away from his father when the child was throwing a nasty tantrum.

"But know what else she mentioned? Homesickness, plenty of times. Of course, she can always visit home when her schedule permits, but it's not a simple bus or train ride that she can easily take whenever those feelings arise. Internet and Skype calls are such twistedly convenient creations now in the 21st century, wouldn't you agree?" Ruito quietly shifted from where he sat, eyeing the view of Ugetsu's back still facing his direction as he used his feet and hands to slide carefully to the side of the sloped roof.

"I asked her if she'd want to live back here at home, she said no. When she reversed the question to _me_ if I wanted to live there, I also said no. She knows my life is with someone now and I have no qualms about it; that I have met a divinely bright man who does outstandingly well with his work, and he also knows how much I love mine. He never tethers me to one place and I do the same for him, we both love seeing each other shine through night and day. My certainty with this person is as genuine as dawn and dusk, hence why I married him."

_'Damn this cold,'_ Ugetsu muttered, struggling not to shiver as he stood there hearing Ruito's jovial voice while different emotions brewed in his head; he was relieved that Mafuyu was okay, tired from smiling and talking to parents and teachers all day, he was craving for a hot bath, considering the idea of dozing off there on the floor, wanting to rip his hair out that his husband could fall any second and gravely injure himself. He was getting dizzy which side of himself was going to show up like an eclipsed moon playing shadow phases with the sun. Ugetsu imagined quashing them all down with the burning friction of his bow against his violin strings, playing endless firey notes that expressed his fabulously cluttered—yet mutely numb—head.

"Delayed honeymoon and all…"

As soon as he heard Ruito's voice, he nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt a hot breath on his nape, followed by the gentle touch of the person's hands and the heat from a jacket draped over his shoulders.

"Or by now, should we call it our first-anniversary trip instead?" the musician whispered close to his ear, ready to wrap the slightly quivering man in his arms but was violently pushed back with an icy hand to his chest.

"I don't want your jacket!!" Ugetsu suddenly exclaimed, grabbing the piece of clothing off his shoulders and throwing it back at his husband's face. "Oh, I don't tether you to one place all right, you didn't show up the whole afternoon and didn't inform me where you went! Well, guess what? You're not the only one who disappeared today. Mafuyu-chan also went missing for a couple of hours and nearly drove everyone into a frenzy! Something terrible could've happened to him, Rui! And where were you?! I had no idea! When I came home, you weren't there and I waited for you to come back! You weren't answering your phone… and just left me there with your stupid gift… I was worried about you and Mafuyu-chan by myself and you were here all that time exchanging pleasantries with your cousin about living overseas?!"

_'Behold, another phase of the moonchild has appeared,'_ Ruito spoke in his head as he wore back his jacket, stressing on the word 'child' as he studied Ugetsu's disheveled hair that curtained his eyes, his clenched jaw and balled fists, his weary drooping shoulders that made him seem smaller than he already was. Steeling his nerves, Ruito currently wished he took some self-defense tips from Akihiko in case his spouse had plans of turning into a human punching bag in less than a few seconds.

"Mum messaged earlier so I went to visit her and Dad for a bit. Her cat is recovering at the vet's and she can't stop worrying, believe me or not. Paisley is as spoiled as a grandchild, have I mentioned that before? Then I shopped for new strings, along with the extra stuff we need for our trip. When I got back, you were sleeping so beautifully in the living room I didn't want to wake you up," he said, now standing one small step apart from the other man, expecting to be forced away once again. "Mafuyu-chan's okay, isn't he? If not, you wouldn't be here and Aki would've also called."

"He's back now with Haruki-san, and Aki might be staying at their place tonight with Ritsu. But _damn you_ for playing hide-and-seek with me all day," Ugetsu gripped Ruito's button-down shirt, tempted to push the man away for a second time but his hand remained on his partner's chest, feeling a steady heartbeat under his palm.

"And I know you want to rest. Today was the ending ceremony and you prepared a lot of things for your students," Ruito said softly. "You're cold as ice, Ugetsu. Here, allow me..." He took the man's hand and pressed his lips to his husband's clammy fingers, then lingered on the white gold band around the person's left finger and gave it a feather-light kiss. "I have no plans of breaking the promise I made to you exactly one year ago, mind you. Not today, not in a million lifetimes. Now let's head back inside to get you in a nice hot tub and cozy you up, shall we?"

"Oh, your vows. How did it go again? ' _Every smoldering gaze'?_ " the other quoted flatly, still refusing to budge from where they stood. "' _Every scorching note I strum until my last breath'?_ I just woke up from a nap so my brain is a bit clouded over. If I may request, do refresh my memory."

Ruito sighed, caressing Ugetsu's wind-bitten cheeks and gently aligned their faces in celestial symmetry. "All my fires are yours to keep," he recited, while his husband closed his eyes as he listened. "To light the ground wherever you choose to go. Every smoldering gaze and heat from my skin, every scorching note I strum until my last breath. Know that you're the sole person on his earth who can hold these flames and never get burned, Murata Ugetsu. You have my word, 'till my own life flickers out." Then he made a concerned look. "Sadly, my jacket isn't big enough for both of us, love. But I don't mind walking barefoot to give you my socks." 

The other huffed out a tiny humored smile. "What happened after the vows, Rui? Go on, my mind's still hazy over here."

"We exchanged rings," the musician answered. "I placed your ring on your left finger, and then you did the same for me."

"What followed?"

Ruito noticed his partner subtly shortening the gap between their mouths. "The officiant said the pronouncement."

"And after that?"

"We… fly off to our long-awaited honeymoon."

Ugetsu puffed out a quiet laugh. "You mean our first-anniversary trip," he retorted, finally wrapping his arms around the taller man's neck. "After a year as your other half, you bought me a stock of replacement strings as your gift. How thoughtfully practical of you. My heart was swooning from the romantic sight of carbon steel coils in bounty laid before my eyes." 

"Aww, don't worry, love. I only strummed your violin for one short piece," Ruito supplied. "I played it while thinking of what to put in the note I wrote for you. I'm far from a poet but ehhh, my husband who teaches literature can critique me as much as he wants."

"A bleak comparison to what my top students could write but I wouldn't deny the writer's sincerity in his work. I'm 'tethered' to a skillful musician though—not a poet—and the way he plays his viola is an artistic language in itself. His music is his poetry that I can listen to all day, every year, all 365 days and nights," the teacher said. 

"365 times the sun and moon chase each other across the same sky," the musician continued for him. "While one is awake, the other is asleep."

"Though seen apart," Ugetsu added softly, pulling the other to lean down until they shared one breath, "their lips yearningly meet in luminous dreams."

'Dot-dot-dot,' Ruito's Floating Ellipsis said, as the three equidistant stars hovered above his head that certain night of early spring. What unspoken thoughts they entailed, he was still searching for those answers as Ugetsu rightfully claimed his mouth like a fallen star. His mind was in a daze, spinning several rotations with the moon around Earth, then doing several revolutions with the Earth around the sun. Time was moving onwards and backwards; fast-forward one second, then slow-motion in the next. The ground was up, heaven was below; the sky was a dark carpet with a scattering of twinkling flower petals, the fallen cherry blossoms on the asphalt was a galaxy of black holes and vigilant constellations.

'Shine, light, burn,' Orion's Belt seemed to tell him, and Ruito pushed his lips more ardently to deepen his kiss. He encircled his arms around the other's waist, pressing their bodies together, leaving no gap for cold air to separate their shared heat. "Maybe we should head back inside now," he said between their hot breaths. In the dark pools of his partner's eyes, he saw a calming silver gleam that reflected the crescent evening sun.

"Well, how timely. I'm not that freezing anymore," Ugetsu replied with a hint of a smile. Touching his man's chest, he felt Ruito's heart beating passionately as a roaring blaze of a morning star. To him, it was putting his hand inside a melting hot kiln, but his skin was still unscathed. Ugetsu leaned forward once again to press one last kiss on his husband's lips before they headed back to their apartment, letting his mouth taste fire itself that made him feel glowingly—wonderfully—alive.


	18. Chapter 18

End of March  
  


1

North Machida  
  


Shopping errands and school supplies were on Akihiko's mind that early spring morning as his footsteps resounded along the stone path where he walked, sniffing the fresh scent of flora and newly-cut grass around the tranquil public grounds. He passed by a group of adults and two children, most of them wore colored clothes while the others donned a respectful black attire. After they exchanged polite nods as they strolled in opposite directions, Akihiko noticed one girl waved nicely at him and without thinking twice, he responded with a little smile.

"We're here," Akihiko said as he laid an arrangement of flowers at the base of the stone monument while his companion quietly guarded the half-filled wooden bucket and ladle by his feet. "It's spring again and I know you're also watching the blossoms this year. Rikka isn't around, neither are Rui-san and Ugetsu, but I asked a different person to visit with me today—someone new for you to meet."

Stepping forward before the marking stone, Haruki placed his offering of freesias beside Akihiko's small vase of gerbera daisies and read the etched kanji on the smooth marble. 'Harvest' the first name meant, one of the celebrated words used to depict the bountiful season of autumn. "Hello, Minori-san," he began politely, sensing Akihiko's presence as the man stood next to him. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"He's the one I mentioned before. This is Nakayama Haruki." Akihiko glanced at the person, then back to the tombstone were the lit incense sticks burned away in fleeting ribbons of white-gray smoke. "We missed visiting during the equinox so we wanted to give you some company today. Rikka can go to school by himself now, can you believe it? He'll be entering first grade this April with Mafuyu… ah, Mafuyu is Haruki's son, by the way, you'll meet him soon enough. He's way quieter than the little hyper dude, but it's a funny TV show when you see how the two get along." Akihiko chuckled and his partner joined his lighthearted sound of a cheerful mood.

"It was Haruki's idea to see you and I didn't need to say anything else," he added, hearing two birds twittering sweetly to one another in a nearby tree. "Next holiday, it won't just be me and Ritsuka or Ugetsu and Rui-san visiting here. It could be me bringing along the two boys, or you can meet Take-san and Yayoi-san next, who knows. Little nice surprises aren't so bad every once in a while, you always loved them back then."

Watching the ash from the incense sticks fall around the base of the holder, Haruki regarded its gray color that contrasted the bright yellows and oranges of the flowers they offered. One day, those vivid hues would also fade when they've reached the peak of their growth and wilt when their time came, same with the falling blossoms and maple leaves as the seasons changed. In the peaceful silence of the cemetery, Haruki reflected on the humbling presence of Minori's grave before him; that one day, he too will wilt, fade, turn into ash, same with the people around him.

He prayed in front of the woman's gravestone, confessing he was aware of what happened three years ago; when she saved a little girl she didn’t even know who stepped into the street with no inkling of a speeding van that was headed her way. Haruki bit his lower lip as he spoke sincerely to Akihiko's late wife, promising her that he would raise Mafuyu with as much love as any adoptive parent could give; including looking after Ritsuka as her child and to be at ease wherever she was, that he would do his part to keep her son smiling along with Mafuyu as the years go by.

"Hey…" the other man gently brushed his fingers along his cheek to wipe a stray tear falling from the corner of his eye.

"Ahhh, I got a bit… carried away," he said with a laugh, sniffling and blinking back his watery eyes. "I was thanking Minori-san for watching over Mafuyu that time back in autumn. I know it was her who helped him cross the street safely while I was busy with my phone."

Akihiko combed the honey-colored locks that hid Haruki's face and tucked them behind the man's ear. "You two cry so easily, it's adorable," he mildly teased. "Minori has your back, not only me. I'm sure you understand that now."

"Well, Mr. Cool-and-Dry-Eyed Smarty-Pants, crying can also happen when you're _happy_ , not just sad. Minori-san knows about it, I'm sure." the other parent retorted.

"Never said I haven't shed a single tear my whole life, but I have yet to cry over any of the Disney movies Ritsuka has seen so far."

"Shall we put that to the test then? This weekend, our place, after the kids' last day of school—Toy Story trilogy," Haruki narrowed his eyes at him. "Maybe you didn't feel for Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh or Lightning McQueen in Cars, but wait until you hear Jesse's song. _Oh, joy_."

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Akihiko gave an airy shrug. "Sure, I'll bring the popcorn. Do you want plain, butter, or flavored?" he replied and Haruki wanted to ball up his handkerchief and stuff it in the person's mouth.  
  
  


Spring Break

Early April  
  


Central Neighborhood  
  


"Welcome to Suzuran," Ueki greeted as soon as the door chime rang to announce a new customer. "Oh, Haruki-san is sitting over there with Uenoyama-san. It's his break time," he said without wasting a beat to the man who entered the half-filled café.

"Thanks." Kouji grinned and waved at him in return.

"Congratulations, by the way, Take-san," the teen added with as much enthusiasm as his serious face could express. "Haruki-san gushed about it to Waka-chan and Waka-chan told me and eventually the whole staff now knows you're getting married."

"Um." the engaged photographer mentally facepalmed. "I always tell my clients to drop by this place so we're even", he winked and the younger one gave a thumbs up.

"Ten points for Take-san."

"Ehhh, where's your ring??" Haruki gasped as he noticed the unadorned finger on the woman's left hand, postponing the eager bite of his club sandwich. 

"It's here." She reached into her collar to show a thin chain that she wore as a hidden necklace. "My role is a single office lady for the drama, remember? If I wear it, it will look wrong on camera."

"Ahh, riiiight. Right. Of course! Makes sense," the other replied, resuming to enjoy his homemade lunch.

"What makes even more sense is how everyone around here is being extra smiley today." Kouji joined them at their table and settled on the opposite side of Yayoi's seat. "I thought I was in a weird fairytale land when I walked in and the staff was going to burst into song like a musical."

"Take-chan, it's a lovely spring day, that's all," Haruki said dreamily while his best friend looked as though he wanted to knock his forehead on the table several times.

"We've only planned to file our documents to the main office by this autumn and everybody is already fussing about the day itself. It's not even going to happen in the next few months!" he whined and Yayoi chuckled as she sipped her cherry blossom-themed milk tea.

"Ah, then you guys have decided on a date already," the Suzuran staff said while thoroughly chewing his meal.

"Yes," the engaged couple replied in unison.

"Next year," Yayoi started.

"On her birthday," Kouji finished.

And Haruki merely blinked as he noted the information in his mental calendar. "Oh," he said with a smile. "Any honeymoon plans then?"

"Yes," the two answered again in duet.

"The month after," Kouji said.

"On _his_ birthday," Yayoi supplied after him. "Well, Day 1 of the honeymoon, to be precise. The original plan was longer than a week, but we were both staring at our schedules and didn't want to bite off more than we can chew. One month after the wedding isn't _so_ bad, right, Haruki-san?"

"Ah?"

"Her mum and dad mentioned why not soon after the wedding day," the groom-to-be enlightened his best friend. "They said the honeymoon is just as important and if it's too delayed, it will lose its… its…" He made strange gestures with his hands, trying to form the words from the tip of his tongue.

"Its _magic._ " Yayoi hid half her face with a hand while shaking her head in embarrassment. "They must've forgotten we've already been living together for years and we don't know yet how to sleep in the same bed," she groaned. "Maybe I should've told them about Rui-san and Ugetsu-san to see their reaction. That would've been interesting to see."

Haruki chortled while sipping his drink and his friend ogled at the woman's suggestion.

"If any married couple knows a delayed honeymoon is _not_ the end of the world, it's them for sure." She stirred her chilled drink with the pink straw and glanced at Kouji with a smile. "I think it's even more romantic that they strategically chose to do it one year after being together."

"And planned it without telling anyone," her fiancé added. "Really though, no one knows where they're going?"

"Only their parents know about it," Haruki said, finishing his sandwich while eyeing his co-staff Ueki handling a few customers by the dessert display case. "Even Akihiko has no idea what their itinerary is. They said they'll reveal it after they come back."

"Ahh, and it finally fits their non-matching work schedules, which is a godsend," Yayoi said. "There's always a time for everything, as they say."

"Time management," the best friends chimed and the bride-to-be freely wheezed in laughter.

"Today's their flight, isn't it?" Kouji asked while Yayoi slid forward a polished fork resting on a tissue napkin across the table, waiting for the other's reach.

"Nnn. Akihiko's driving them to Haneda right now," Haruki answered, watching his friend take the fork and sample a portion of the tea cake on the woman's dessert plate. "He volunteered to pick up the kids at the park then head here after my shift for a… what was that, 'a weekend treat', he said. I know he has something up his sleeve but it's probably more for the kids…"

" _Sure_ , for the kids," Kouji said dully after swallowing his food.

"Haruki-san, you say it so naturally," Yayoi commented with a sweet smile, not minding her fiancé's fork digging for a second helping of her cake.

"Mmm? Say what? Which one? What part?"

"When you say 'the kids', it's really nice to hear," she elaborated. "Has Akihiko mentioned about uh… looking over nice LDKs that could fit more than two people lately?"

Her friend pursed his lips as his mind scanned his recent memories. "No? I don't think so. Is it something related to his new project at work?"

"Heh, more like a _personal_ project." Kouji shared a mutual side-glance with his soon-to-be wife, leaving Haruki in awkward silence as he looked back and forth between his two friends who showed him identical smiles.

"Well, that's weird. He hasn't mentioned anything recently. Maybe he has plans for Ricchan in the future?"

The engaged couple answered with careful nods while quelling the giggles bubbling up their throats. The Suzuran staff only blinked innocently at them in return, ready to ask another question when his phone vibrated in his pocket and read 'Kato-san' on the screen.

"Uhhh," he stalled, but Kouji and Yayoi happily gestured for him to take the call. Haruki nodded and excused himself from their table, then quickly signaled to Ueki at the main counter that he'd be outside for a moment with his phone.

"Think Akihiko will also pop _his_ question to Haruki-san soon?" Yayoi asked, finding the last bite of cake that Kouji set aside on the plate; the middle section of the dessert with a raspberry sitting on a dollop of fresh cream.

"Maybe it's more on _if_ Haruki will say yes to what he has in mind. Hopefully, both of them will see things through," her partner said, taking in the sunny view of the Machida neighborhood from their glass window.

"Spring is a favorite season for new beginnings, that's what you said before," the fiancée reminded him. "You can tell Akihiko is serious when he's mulling over things longer than usual in his head, but that just means he's being more careful not to screw up, right?"

Kouji looked her with a newfound twinkle in his eyes, letting his content silence speak for itself. He noticed the favorable lighting from their window that illuminated Yayoi's form—changing her complexion to ivory, adding a glossy ring around her straight-trimmed hair, turning her blue eyes into precious sapphires that never failed to claim his heart; a photographic moment waiting to be captured on camera but for once, kept his phone in his pocket. He scooped the remaining cake on his fork and eased it to her direction, but to his surprise, the fledgling actress turned shy as she hesitated to take the last bite.

"Pretend it's our wedding cake," Kouji said and Yayoi breathed a small laugh. The man smiled, noting the rosy color on his partner's cheeks wasn't from any blush powder or make-up on her face. "For new beginnings, not just in spring."

With an upward curl of her lips, Yayoi accepted the last portion of sweet indulgence as she recalled all three seasons that had gone by in the previous year; the summer beach trip with her friends, her mini-drama back in autumn, the memorable Christmas she spent with her beloved man as a newly-betrothed couple on a snowless winter.

She gazed out the window, catching sight of Haruki's back as he entertained a business call with his editor, seeing his familiar blonde locks shine gold under the sunlight. A petal landed on his head from a nearby plum blossom tree and Yayoi easily imagined a certain person brushing it off his hair. _'Not just in spring,'_ she echoed Kouji's words to herself, only guessing what laid ahead for everyone in the seasons to come. Whether it be flowers, raindrops, leaves, or snowflakes falling on their heads; they would walk through them all, as many times as they could—three pairs of footprints strolling on grass, puddles, beach sand, and snow; always moving forward side by side facing a distant horizon.

Oh, what another year it would be.  
  


***  
  


2

Main Tokyo  
  


The overhead traffic light turned red, cutting the long chain of cars that flowed through a busy intersection approaching Ota Ward and a silver Toyota came to a gentle halt as it queued to wait for another green light. Relaxed in the backseat with a warm coat and a turtleneck sweater, Ugetsu was watching the person in the driver's seat drumming a random beat on the steering wheel when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished out the gadget and read the name on the screen, raising his eyebrows at the unexpected caller and curiously tapped on the answer button.

"Blue? Hello, sweetie. It almost slipped my mind about something I wanted to ask for your father. Thank goodness I remembered it before you go off on your trip…"

"Okaa-san?" he said, careful not to speak too loudly and leaned nearer to his left-side window. "Okaa-san, it's me."

"Ara? Murata-kun?" Ruito's mother sounded completely confused. "Aaaaaah, I was supposed to dial Blue's number but I pressed yours by mistake. An old lady's clumsiness with these fancy phones nowadays! Your obaa-san can't even send those messages with funny faces on them…"

"It's all right, no worries," he replied. "Rui might not even hear his phone ring at the moment, he's out like a light and I'll answer the call all the same."

"Sleeping? At this time? Why, you should've pressed the ringing phone next to his ear to shake him up in a jiffy!"

Ugetsu chuckled, watching Ruito's chest rise and fall evenly as he napped next to him, head lolled back that exposed his neck with a few dots of his moles that peeped from under the collar of his jacket; the sheen on his thin wire-frame eyeglasses reflecting the afternoon sunlight from the window on his right side. "He slept around four this morning, _not_ part of his plan. I told him he could resume it during the whole flight, but… got a bit of a headstart here in the car," he explained. "I can take a message though, Okaa-san. If it's not too private between mother and son."

"Oh, don't be silly, dear. I asked Ruito to help me arrange my contact list by family and your names are right after the other! I see no difference who I call son between you two," she said and Ugetsu bit his bottom lip. "There's a request I was supposed to ask from Blue—a small surprise for your Otou-san around next week after your trip; it brings back a lot of memories when we visited France on our own special day many moons ago. Ah, but it shouldn't be your priority, sweetie. You two should follow the agendas you've made down to the last bit, are we clear?" 

"Yes, of course," he answered, resting his head back as he viewed a lavish park dotted with pink and white cherry blossoms across a city river from his left-side window.

"The Monet Garden on the way to your third stop. Take as many photos as you can, Murata-kun! You and Rui."

"Okaa-san… is this for…?"

She chuckled heartily over the phone. "You remember! That's one of the things that pulled our heartstrings with you, dearie. Ruito can woo a full house in a concert hall as much as he wants, but he can't even remember his father's birthday sometimes. Oh, that odd boy!"

"We'll see to it," Ugetsu said, combing away a lock of hair that fell across his partner's sleeping face. "I'll make sure of that."

"You know, Rui visited here not too long ago and he was rambling about the strangest things, asking if he was some alien creature with too many ideas in his head. I asked what was bothering him and the boy was in this… unusual state of doubt, thinking what if he didn't choose music as his profession—that he'd have a job that didn't require lots of traveling and keeping you company more often in the house…"

The man held his breath as the traffic light switched to green, imagining Ruito putting away his viola for a different career, not hearing him play in performances or even rehearse in their apartment. Their fridge door would probably look boring, their house walls wouldn't hear violin-viola duets coming from their living room. He stared at his oblivious husband as the car resumed its route to the airport, wondering if the violist also dreamed about music in his sleep.

"He's an alien, all right. No doubt about that," he spoke in mild jest, noticing a fallen eyelash on Ruito's cheekbone. With a light touch, he brushed his thumb along his partner's skin and the man nuzzled his hand, awkwardly skewing his eyeglasses off the bridge of his nose. "A weird extraterrestrial who shows his heart differently and I wouldn't prefer him any other way, Okaa-san."

"Rui always mentions how dedicated you are to your work, Murata-kun," she added. "And sometimes your Otou-san and I… we wonder if there are things left that we could do for both of you as much as we're still around. We crave for things to look after—the garden, our Paisley, doing this and that around the house. Ahh, parents can be such strange creatures as well sometimes. It's funny, isn't it?"

"A poet once said, 'Nature laughs in flowers,'" he answered, observing the throng of hanami visitors roaming around the open park, feeling a small tug in his heart as he thought of cherry blossoms and celebrating their short-lived beauty every spring. "When we reach the Monet Garden, we'll take a lot of pictures, Okaa-san. You can count on it. Whenever we see our Mum and Dad laughing together, Rui and I know that's how we want to look in our further years."

"Hhnnngghhargghh," the musician burbled from his nap, squinting disapprovingly at the bright outdoor light from his right-side window.

"Rise and shine," Akihiko said from the driver's seat, easing the car to the adjacent lane to take a right turn at the next stoplight. While focusing his eyes on the road, he noticed Ruito-shaped figure in his periphery squeeze between the two front car seats and failingly reach for the glove box with a struggling grunt. "You can always ask, Rui-san."

"Yes, I am wearing glasses but I am _not blind_ , Aki. My two eyes clearly see your hands are busy while mine is over _here._ " Ruito waved his outstretched arm that was still a meager inch away from the latch of the compartment under the dashboard. "You sure you have our keys, by the way?"

"In my pocket, dangling from a key holder," the driver answered, hearing another frustrated sound next to him. "If Rikka is feeling picky about breakfast, I'll just borrow a box of cereal from your ridiculously foreign-stuffed pantry."

"Oh! Let him try the Lucky Charms or Apple Jacks," the other said. "Or the Pop-Tarts! But hmm, maybe that's too sugary for a kid in the morning. If Haruki-san was around, you'd have no problem getting the Tiny Oreo to eat a proper meal any time of the day, I bet."

"I wish it'd be _every day_ ," his taller friend sighed aloud, subtly decelerating the car to allow an SUV in front to switch to their lane. 

"Aww, Aki. What happened to the guy I know oozing with suave and finesse? My gut even tells me Haruki-san already knows what to say when you ask him about it," Ruito said endearingly, propping an elbow beside the headrest next to the driver's seat.

"I don't. I really don't know."

The musician showed a skeptic expression.

"…Oh, another stoplight," Akihiko enthused stiffly, easing the car once again to a gentle halt. After securely pressing his foot on the brakes, he reached for the glove box latch and pulled it open, reached for the small tin case of mints and placed it on Ruito's hand.

"Come now. If Haruki-san says no, Ugetsu and I are always your left and right ears," the fully-woke man said optimistically, shaking out two mint candies onto his palm then popping them into his mouth. He offered another two to Akihiko and the man received them on his ready hand. "Isn't that right, love?"

"Hm?" Ugetsu replied, ending a call on his phone with slightly glazed eyes. "Right on what?"

Ruito showed him the tin of candy and popped out another two pieces on his husband's palm. "Aki is worried he's rushing Haruki-san about his ambitious plans."

"Heeeh, if that's ambitious, wait 'till you ask him to marry you," the teacher intoned sweetly, rolling his tongue around the menthol tablets in his mouth and Akihiko genuinely displayed his peeved face. "Really, though. Look at those piercing green eyes, Rui. Who wouldn't be able to resist those brilliant emeralds staring into your soul? Plus, those long elegant legs and broad sturdy shoulders, his veiny ambidextrous hands that can do a multitude of things. And when he speaks, ahhh, that _deep sexy_ voice…" 

His husband swooned dramatically and fanned his face with his hand. "Why, not me, of course! If I found myself on a romantic date with _the_ debonair gentleman Kaji Akihiko, I'd be a besotted ninny if I wouldn’t be swayed by his dazzling Venusian grace!"

"You _guys._ " Akihiko ground the mints between his teeth with an annoyed-but-humored expression, seeing the overhead signage that read Haneda Airport was only a few hundred meters away, joining the moderate traffic gathering in his lane that was also headed to the same destination. "Rikka will surely look for you two while you guys are away."

"You can always say we'll come back with lots of omiyage for him," Ugetsu said.

"Along with the little potato Mafuyu-chan," Ruito added.

"And you and Haruki-san, of course."

"Plus Take-san and Yayoi-san."

"For sure."

 _'They're finishing each other's lines,'_ Akihiko groaned in his head. _'They're finishing each other's lines, gods help me.'_

"Who was on the phone with you a while ago, by the way?" Ruito asked his spouse.

"Your mum," Ugetsu answered. "Pop quiz, Rui: When's your parents' wedding anniversary again?"

The musician stared at the other with eyes as wide as saucer plates. "Last month!" He sounded quite sure of himself and Ugestu didn't say anything else.

"The besotted ninny has spoken," said the person behind the steering wheel.

"No, remove the 'besotted' part. He's just a ninny," the teacher replied dryly and Ruito was left tilting his head clueless as a flightless baby owl. Akihiko's snickers and wheezes filled the silence between the vacation-ready couple as he guided the car through the main entry lane of the airport, heading to the proper drop-off area of the ever-busy lobby of the Terminal 1 building.  
  


***  
  


3

Central Neighborhood  
  


Festivals, bazaars, shrine visits, and tourists. Then hanami, hanami, and more hanami.

The preoccupied man scrolled down through his Twitter feed that showed its ardor for the arrival of spring; hailing the end of winter when the ash-white skies were back to a canvas of azure and the streets of Tokyo were in bloom once again with plum and cherry trees coloring the city in pink and white.

'My niche,' said one post that immediately caught his attention. It showed a photo taken from a top view of a serene downhill neighborhood; patches of rustic roofs laid neatly around the residential area with generous accents of vivid green trees, its foreground was a suburban landscape and snow-tipped mountains formed the backdrop of the picturesque scenery. Haruki smiled at his phone screen and swiped down to the Twitter user's earlier post four days ago, finding another picture with a simple description.

This time, it included the person himself standing in front of a grand red-bricked building with rows of double-windows and ivy vines crawling up its walls. The teen wore an ear-to-ear grin with his hands shoved into his jacket pockets, his sandy blonde hair was silvery pale against the morning sun behind him that cast a dreamlike haze on the camera lens. 'Before I got lost inside my own campus,' the caption read.

"Mafuyu, guess who?" Haruki showed the photo to his son who was seated at his right around a square garden table on a pergola-style deck. Small potted flowers and succulents lined the perimeter of the raised outdoor platform, while vintage garden lamps guarded the corners along with ceramic gnomes and blushing fairies. High-end business buildings with their stylish glass facades lined the opposite street from where they were settled; thin streams of cars occasionally whooshed by that tossed and swirled the fallen cherry blossom petals into the wind, scattering them theatrically on the asphalt roads.

"Yuki-niichan!" the boy chirped and poked the screen with a shy finger. "Is that his new school?"

"You bet," Haruki replied and Mafuyu's warm brown eyes sparkled in pure awe.

"Wooooow," he said and his father lightly chuckled.

"Let's say hello to Yuki-niichan, shall we?" Haruki started typing an encouraging reply to @U_yoshida on his phone, making sure to end it with 'from Mafuyu and Ritsuka' at the end of his message.

"We'll also be going to a bigger school this year, right Dad?" Ritsuka asked, seated at Haruki's left. His hands were grasping each side of Akhiko's phone in landscape orientation, tilting it gently left and right as he played a racecar game app with utmost concentration.

"Yep, you're starting first grade, big guy," his father answered, settled opposite from his partner's chair. He fondly watched the other adult compose a tweet on his gadget then showed it to Mafuyu after pressing Send. The copper-haired boy grinned and fidgeted happily in his chair, seeing his older friend Yoshida Yuki starting his new university student life with an elated expression on his face.

" _Omatase shimashita!_ " the male staff greeted them, holding a tray in one arm that carried a wide sundae bowl of abundant gelato in two flavors, topped with syrup, berries, and wedges of stroopwafels to make a delectable and eye-catching presentation.

"IT'S A… A MOUNTAIN!" Ritsuka exclaimed, nearly dropping Akihiko's phone and immediately forgetting his mobile game. Thankfully, Haruki caught the object just in time as it slipped away from the boy's hands, rescuing the device before it fell and met its unfortunate fate on the hardwood floor.

"Easy, easyyyy." Akihiko hooked a finger at the back of Ritsuka's shirt collar to keep the excited boy in his chair. Meanwhile, Mafuyu quietly drooled as he stared with an agape mouth at the sweet work of dessert art laid carefully at the center of their table.

"I-Is this a celebration thing?" Haruki asked, a bit wide-eyed himself at the surprise order Akihiko made for the four of them. "For the kids, starting their new school?"

"It's _spring_ , Haruki," the taller parent replied, albeit a tad dolefully for the other man to quickly notice.

"Dad! Dad! Can we eat it now??" Ritsuka asked with shimmering eyes, ready to dig his long-stemmed spoon into all the layers of the decadent chilled treat.

"Go ahead. Dig in," his father said, but Haruki easily caught the faint strain on the man's harmless smile. The child beamed in return and said his 'Itadakimasu', sunk his spoon into the strawberry-flavored half of the sundae and had the first taste. Mafuyu followed his lead and burrowed his utensil into the other side of the bowl, scooping a portion of salted caramel gelato and shoved it into his mouth. The two boys exchanged bright grins as they savored the rich smooth deliciousness of their frozen confection, clueless of the festering awkwardness between their two parents who merely tossed uneasy glances back and forth to each other over a net of sumptuous Italian ice cream.

"Your face." Haruki pointed out to Akihiko, grabbing his spoon but delayed tucking-in to their frozen delicacy.

"What?"

"You have something in your mind and you're not telling me." The other wore a slight frown and his partner felt his heart melting like the ice cream dribbling down the side of their glass sundae bowl. "But it's no use hiding it now, I already know what your secret plan is. I'm just a bit disappointed you've been keeping it to yourself all this time, Akihiko. Why didn't you say anything before?"

"But how did you..?"

"I know you're moving to a new place," the writer said in a dejected tone. "Take-chan and Yayoi-san told me about it and at first I didn't understand what they meant."

"Haruki…"

The man tightened his grip around his spoon and bit the inside of his cheek. "I know it's your decision as a dad. Ricchan needs a bigger space as he's growing up, your work is mostly centered around main Tokyo and it makes more sense to settle there instead. And we're having this date to make the most of your time here in this neighborhood before moving to a better place."

"W-Wait, hold on a sec…"

"Is it soon, Akihiko? Next month? …Summer break? If you need any help with the moving stuff or looking after Ritsuka-chan while running some errands, I don't mind lending a hand, you know that. I can make bentos for the two boys if you don't have enough time in the morning, or do some grocery shopping while also checking off things in my To-Do list and—"

"I don't need a hand, okay?? I can do all those things well enough by myself," the taller man blurted out before realizing what he even said. The hurt expression on the other's face made Akihiko want to scoop out his brain and leave it in an open field to feed hungry animals that have woken up from their long winter hibernation. "But… you're right. I've made up my mind about certain things as a working adult and as a dad. Rikka's going to outgrow a lot of things and my own stuff is also beginning to pile up in one corner of the house. We _do_ need a better a place, but I wasn't thinking of something for the two of us alone," he added, trying not to lose his composure.

"I've been looking over some units over the past months that can adequately house four people. A decent kitchen, two baths, a spacious living room, extra office space, three bedrooms; one for Rikka… and one for Mafuyu," the man grabbed his spoon and hovered it near the edge of their glass bowl, "and a nice master's bedroom for us to sleep in, me and you." He scooped through the caramel gelato with a flick of his wrist and tasted the chilled confection, while Haruki stared at the strawberry slices sitting on the dollops of whipped cream and wondered if his steeping blush was as red as the tart fruit itself.

"On that day back in January when I couldn't take the little guy to school and you three came back in the apartment, I nearly cried, Haru. I never told you about that before," Akihiko said. "It doesn't have to be soon, or next month, or even in summer. It can even be next year, I can wait. But know that I want you and Mafuyu to live under the same roof with me and Ritsuka one day, Haruki. I want you to know that bliss of having someone to greet at the door telling you that they're home and not going away to leave you because that's where they live… that's where they stay."

"Is that onee-chan?" Mafuyu asked Akihiko, pointing to a large billboard displayed on top of a commercial building one block away from the gelato shop where they dined.

"Ohhhh yeah, that's her. Must be the latest spring collection," the man replied, taking out his phone again then snapped a quick photo of the tarp that promoted a new line of fashion apparel modeled by none other than the rising star actress Uenoyama Yayoi. He typed a short message in his LINE chatbox and attached the recent picture, pressed Send and shoved his phone back in his pocket.

"Does Haruki-san like spring?" Ritsuka also posed a query for himself, offering a wedge of stroopwafel slathered with ice cream to the adult man who seemed lost in a lazy afternoon daze. A floral breeze rustled the cherry blossom branches that lined the asphalt streets, swaying the parent's gold hair that looked pearlescent smooth to the touch. In his seat, Akihiko dug his spoon into his gelato, wordlessly savoring the dessert as he waited for the other's simple answer.

"Yes, of course," Haruki replied, accepting Ritsuka's waffle and bit into the half-melting treat, dripping ice cream sauce on their table and wiped it clean with a thin wad of tissue napkins.

"How about summer?" Mafuyu added. 

"Ehh, summer makes you sweaty and it's hard to sleep at night," his playmate commented. "Winter is better, at least there's Christmas and New Year's and you get to wear fuzzy socks all the time. Oh, and there's no school and we can play more. Which one is better then, winter or summer?"

The questioned man stared at the inquisitive child once more, still thoroughly munching on his food. "Both! Both are also great!" he said behind his hand while Akihiko felt his phone vibrate with a new message. The man peeped at his LINE convo discreetly, navigating through his phone app under the table to read Yayoi's short reply.

'Kouji is crying www, he hasn't seen it yet,' she said. He smirked in amusement and contentedly tucked away his phone for good, right on cue as his son asked his last impending question.

"How about autumn? Does Haruki-san like autumn?"

The strawberries and chocolate syrup slid down extra slowly in Haruki's throat as he swallowed his ice cream, seeing Akihiko avert his gaze shyly away from his direction. Shy? At this time?? He imagined smearing a nice thick gelato mustache on his partner's upper lip as the bustling city life around them continued its course. A line of humming cars whooshed by behind them, scattering more fallen flowers along the streets and sidewalks. A plane leisurely whirred above their heads, traveling across the wooden crossbeams of their open roof soaring the blue skies.

" _I do_ ," Haruki said firmly, loud and clear for all four of them to hear, watching in quiet satisfaction as the other man's eyes focused back on him in blushing surprise. "I love autumn. I love _all_ the seasons, every single one of them," he grinned to Ritsuka. "And I always look forward to the new fun surprises they bring every year." 

"Kaji-san… is pink like a cherry tree," Mafuyu pointed out while munching on a Pocky stick and his father proudly wore a simper on his lips. "Is he okay? Maybe he's sick again and Papa needs to take care of him like last time."

"Oh, I'm sure he's _fine_ ," Haruki chuckled, patting his boy's head as he noticed a heart-shaped petal land on Akihiko's hair. "And if he is, I'll just make him my special ginger tea again. I'm sure it'll cure him in no time."

\- Part III -  
End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- "The earth laughs in flowers." —Ralph Waldo Emerson  
> \- Random plug: [This song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maxMmd-OL30) by lucklife. And a mix of [this ultimate proposal song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPsyynjHpbY) (with a hilariously adorable MV) by The Last Shadow Puppets. Slow-mo singing, the floaty arms, the come-hither looks lol. Smile. Laugh. Cheers.


	19. Chapter 19: Epilogue

\- Nine Years Later -  
  


Spring

Early May  
  


Yamanoue High School  
  


The third bell rang at exactly 9:55 that spring morning to announce the end of math period and 15-year-old Mafuyu of Class 1-3 closed his spiral notebook with a sleepy sigh. He tucked away his workbook into the slot under his desk as the class representative erased the remaining basic algebraic expressions on the chalkboard, ready to be used by their next subject teacher. _'So long, inequalities,'_ he mused, watching them turn into dust as the writing board returned to a blank slate. Now if only his head wasn't as empty for the past few days, struggling to come up with lyrics for a melody playing in his head.

"We're planning on going to Odaiba on Midori no Hi though, how 'bout you?" one classmate said, twirling her finger around her loosely permed hair seated in front of him.

"Eeeh, just here around Machida," her seatmate replied on her right. "No way I'm squeezing myself in trains with the crowd and standing in long queues at the parks. My fam and I already went for hanami back in April so we'll be chilling in some nearby restos, I think. Oh, and I'm seeing a small gig at Shimokita this weekend."

"Wait, you're into music stuff? How come I didn't know that?"

"I'm not," her friend said with a laugh. "I'm showing up for a senpai to watch him play. I've only been there once, but it's pretty lit and the set of songs that night was easy on the ears even though they're rock genres. I think they're called 'indie' or something? Right, Nakayama?"

Mafuyu suddenly found himself the focus of attention by his two female classmates, waiting for an answer. "Um."

"Huh, you also play?" his front-mate asked.

"Nn," he replied. "I play the guitar with Ritsuka-kun."

"Ri…? Ah, you mean Kaji in the next class?" her seatmate added, crossing her legs as she shifted in her seat. "If both of you play, who sings?"

"Nakayama, present?" a male classmate called from the door, scanning the room for the boy's distinct copper-shaded hair. When he found the teen at his desk near the window, he hooked a thumb over his shoulder with a laidback tilt of his head. "Your turn, counselor's office. Don't forget your interview slip afterward so the teacher knows you're excused," he said, then returned to his seat in time as the history teacher entered the classroom to start their new lessons.

Morning sunlight from the dustless windows illuminated the lower half of the white sliding door near the end of the first-year hallway, and the young student found himself staring at his own shadow in front of the eerily noiseless office. As a fresh student of Yamanoue High School, it was a new room he hadn’t visited before, a bit wary of the new unknown he was about to explore. 'Silence please :D' read the printed signage pinned on the hanging corkboard. Following the instruction, Mafuyu hooked his fingers on the door slot and carefully slid it to one side.

"Pardon the intrusion," he greeted the person in the room, finding a well-lit office with shelves of file folders and books on one side, a line of foldable chairs and a mini couch on the other. The center wall was mostly a tall window with the blinds pulled up and the glass panels opened to let in the bright spring view of the campus. An average long table stood in its foreground, occupied by a desk lamp, a pile of envelopes, a running laptop plugged to its charger, a drinking tumbler, and several aptly filled pencil holders.

"Hello," the school guidance counselor replied as he lowered his tea mug from his lips, sitting on his big swiveling throne behind his desk. "Have a seat."

Mafuyu obeyed and picked the folding chair by the table, facing the adult at an awkward angle. The room faintly smelled of an ocean or a sea breeze which was strangely off-putting, until he located a pink salt lamp glowing meekly on a nearby shelf.

"No need to be so stiff. I'm not going to bite," the person intoned casually, turning over some papers on his desk and pulled out a paper form that looked similar to an answer sheet. He placed a pen at the center as a weight, then steepled his fingers on the desk while quickly studying the sitting posture of the student who still had an uneasy look in his tawny brown eyes. "Or do you want me to call you 'sprout' to make things more comfortable?"

"It's still weird calling you 'Sensei,'" Mafuyu answered, gazing at the man's matured face that felt somewhat uncanny, but the cinnamon brown irises and sandy blonde hair were still the same hues he vividly recalled from his childhood several years ago.

"Here in school, sure, but outside the premises," the adult pursed his lips, "a little slip on the formalities, no one will ever know," he said with a smile.

"You said you're going to be a doctor."

"I am, just not the kind who wears a stethoscope around my neck everywhere I go. If I wanted to, you'd find me in the infirmary instead," his counselor admitted and the sound of his relaxed talking voice slowly loosened the tight coils buried in the teen's chest. "You were only a tiny munchkin back then. How would a 4-year-old know what a psychologist is?" 

"I was six," Mafuyu replied monotonously to 27-year-old Yoshida Yuki. "We were talking about passing your exams and you gave me a Pokémon sticker because it was my birthday."

"Was it Eevee? Snorlax?"

"Pikachu."

"Oh." Yuki sounded delightfully enlightened. "But what I do clearly remember is giving away my guitar. It was a red Gibson and I played it right here, in this specific school when I was in third-year for the culture festival."

A wave of nostalgia crashed over Mafuyu's senses, reminiscing the day he received his second-hand instrument given by no other than the person speaking to him from behind the office desk. It was a strange feeling, he thought, realizing how many years had passed between the day it happened and the present moment he was in—from the stretch of days and nights that he once saw as an endless wait, to the 'Now' he could compress like an accordion that churned out a collection of sounds between his two hands. "It's fun," he spoke in a ruminating tone. "Playing music."

"That's how it's supposed to be," the man said gently. "Are you doing solo or in a band?"

"A band. With Ritsuka-kun." Mafuyu answered, beginning to crave for a second nap in his head. "He's in 1-4."

Looking at the stack of remaining file folders for Class 1-3 beside his computer, Yuki estimated how many more students he had left to interview until he would arrive at the name Kaji Ritsuka on his list. "I'll see him next week then, after the holidays." He squinted his eyes like a relaxed cat.

"Sensei, this Sunday… if you're not too busy…."

Yuki cocked his head, already inferring what the student was going to say.

"8 o'clock at The CAC House, there are still some slots left."

"Let me guess, I promised you back then, didn't I?" he reckoned, wrapping his fingers around the retractable Pilot on top of his papers. "Well, consider my Sunday evening reserved, in that case. I can finally see you two playing music on a stage, spotlights over your heads, jamming with your guitars…"

"…And singing."

"Mm?" the other craned his neck slightly forward and the brown-eyed teenager stared sleepily at him in return.

"Sing," Mafuyu repeated in his whisper-soft voice. "I do the vocals for our band."

"Heeeehh."

"Not my first choice but I didn't say no to it either. I haven't sung in front of a real audience before."

Lyrics, the boy reminded himself again. With only less than a week away before their live performance, his mind was still a blank sheet of paper much like the empty data form on Yuki's desk. He knew of Ritsuka’s unspoken concern with his progress, though his friend minded his need for enough thinking space, letting him navigate through the diverse mind map of songwriting in his own way. Yet, as lost as he was in all the paths laid before him, he found a resembling compass in Yuki's hand, waiting to be noticed that pointed to a silver lining he had been searching for in the longest time.

"And this weekend, that's all going to change," the counselor added, straightening his back as he read the time on his office wall clock. "You've guys have been practicing a lot, right?"

"Nn," Mafuyu replied, observing the pen cradled by the man's fingers. Yuki's thumb pressed the top button with a crisp click, telling the student that his main agenda that morning was presently underway.

"Good. Now, this short interview is the same as our little chat, all easy-peasy questions about yourself that can help me _help you_ throughout the school year, okay? I'll be jotting down a few things from time to time, but pay no mind when I'm scribbling along over here. Just keep sharing what's in your head, I'm still all ears to what you're saying. If you feel uncomfortable about some answers, let me know and we’ll work our way around it. Easy as that." Yuki finished his spiel, poising his writing stylus over his data sheet; its inked tip ready to meet paper and scrawl words that were only for his eyes to read.

Mafuyu awaited what questions he was going to answer that only the person in front of him was going to hear. Perhaps they would be as simple as details about his hobbies, the school subjects he found interesting, his rough ideas for the future, and his vivid dreams. Yuki's modern quill glinted in the warm sunlight while the faint scent of the ocean permeated the cozy silence of his office space. As the melody of his band's song played in his head, a small curl formed on the corners of Mafuyu's lips knowing the man's pen was going to move to its beat, writing down words like composing lyrics that he was about to sing.

"Ready?" the counselor asked and his student nodded in response. He took a sip of his cooling tea to refresh his dry mouth, counting his days to an interesting weekend ahead that he was certain would be filled with music—drums, bass, guitars, and a familiar voice that he wanted to hear blasting from the speakers and reverberate through his entire being.

"Let's begin."  
  


***  
  


Children's Day

Last Day of Golden Week  
  


Main Tokyo  
  


_'Her little shoes.'_ Haruki fawned for the umpteenth time that weekday afternoon, imprinting the memory in his head for a draft he was composing for his latest work. _'Her little white shoes with a butterfly ribbon on the sides, pitter-pattering on the soft grass.'_ She wore a pastel yellow sundress that reminded him of ice-cold lemonade perfect on a summer day, the lace trim along the hem of her skirt was akin to the piped icing decor on her parents' wedding cake many years ago. The girl waddled further into the lush garden and Haruki tailed close behind, letting the branches of a thriving camelia bush easily roof above her petite height.

"Big tree," she said with her small voice, marveling a nearby giant pine with its spindly jade-green leaves and fingertip-like branches, similar to its miniature version of bonsai plants lined neatly in one corner of the rustic backyard where they roamed.

"That's right!" Haruki chirped, seeing the bright sheen of her clear blue eyes that she inherited from her mother. "Hmm, how about this one?"

The girl followed the direction of the man's finger that directed to a camellia blossom one close reach above her head. "Fl… flower!" she called it.

"Correct!" Haruki enthused and his adult companion lightly chuckled, proud of the toddler's reply. "And what color is it?"

She blinked at the fragrant blossom with a flutter of her long eyelashes, focusing on the hue of the petals as her mind processed the right answer. "Ret!"

Haruki clapped his hands with a wide smile. "Hoooow about this one over here?" he beckoned excitedly to a nearby cluster of planted dahlias bordered by a short white picket fence. "What's the color?"

Another few seconds passed as the child deliberated her response and glanced at Haruki's friend who gave her an encouraging nod. "Ellow," she said, showing her rows of milk teeth.

"Aaaaaaa, soooo cute!!" the writer gushed to his heart's content, struggling not to pinch her smooth plump cheeks.

"Papa, flower! Flower! Get for Mama!" she bounced several times on the balls of her feet that were equivalent to little jumps, swishing the dainty fountain ponytail on top of her head.

"Haah? Sweetie, we can't," Kouji replied but unfortunately, his 2-year-old daughter's attention span failed to grasp what he just said.

"Nice flower." His child caressed the soft petals of one dahlia blossom with her short fingers… then happily ripped it off straight from the stem before the two adult friends could even say a word. The father stood frozen at the sudden murder scene right before his eyes while Haruki internally screamed that could rouse a flock of birds to migrate south of Tokyo City before the start of autumn.

"Mama, gift! Gift!" she cradled the delicate flora with two hands, rushing across the wide lawn space to a white gazebo with a gray pointed roof, her father and his best friend already forgotten in her head.

"Whoops, there she goes. I am doomed," the bespectacled man didn't even bother chasing his baby girl knowing it was a futile effort, catching sight of his wife seated at the shaded dining table chatting casually with another man who had striking green eyes.

"Ah, well. Honest mistake?" Haruki added, already foreseeing the child's mother glaring daggers at them for ruining the restaurant's well-kept outdoor property. "Ah, and I see our final duo has arrived."

Kouji saw the two remaining guests of their simple gathering enter the garden yard through the arbor trellis veiled in flourishing wisterias, both in semi-formal attires and an unplanned—but still coordinated—monochrome color scheme. "Last time I said that she slightly bumped her head on the edge of a table and I wanted the ground to swallow me whole in an instant."

"No one's a perfect dad or mum, Take-chan," the other said, following his friend's lead to join their partners at the hexagonal pavilion for their pleasant afternoon lunch. "It's a silly myth that will turn your parenthood upside-down if you keep chasing that ideal. When she starts learning to do things on her own, you'll know first-hand how smart but dumb you can be in all your grown-up majesty and it's absolutely normal."

"Ohoho, spoken like a real dad living with two boys for the past five years." Kouji smirked and his friend lightly chuckled as his reply.

"Make that _three_ boys," Haruki corrected him. "Or actually four, including me. Last week, Akihiko and I were arguing who was supposed to attend the parent-teacher meetings for the kids. Ricchan and Mafuyu came home from their band rehearsals, I haven't prepared anything yet for dinner. The two only shrugged and walked back outside, Mafuyu said they'll come back when Akihiko and I weren't biting each other's heads off… aaargh, it was mortifying! The adult crisis was so real in my head and Akihiko didn't say anything for the rest of the night!"

Kouji chortled, patting the other's back. "Then the next day, you woke up wanting to kick him out of bed while he was still sleeping, am I right? But when you got the kitchen, next thing you knew, you were brewing a pot of coffee for two people and made sure it tasted okay."

"I diiiiiiid!" Haruki admitted with a bitter groan, then eventually laughed as well over the silliness of his story.

"It is what it is," the photographer said, hooking his thumbs over his trouser pockets. "You know what they say about the coupled life: real love becomes more than words and feelings, it's about what you do and how you two act around each other. There will be times you get angry, you get into fights, but 'Love is a verb,' that's what Yacchi's father told me one time."

"Uwah, spoken like a true husband married for eight years," Haruki teased back and Kouji playfully bumped against his shoulder, tipping him off-balance as they walked along the soft grass.

"Look, look! Gift!"

Yayoi paused her conversation with Akihiko as she found her little girl place a fresh flower on her lap, its yellow ruffled petals as smooth and velvety as the white layered chiffon fabric of her skirt. "Ohhh, what do we have here? What a lovely present!" she said, tucking the child's ebony-black hair behind her ears as Kouji and Haruki returned to their places at the dining table; the former seated next to his wife and the latter sat next to his taller spouse. "Where did you get it?"

"Papa get! Many flower! Big green tree!" the small one enthused and her mother turned to her husband with a deadpan stare.

'Who me?' Kouji's innocent eyes said to his wife and Haruki's partner restrained the laugh bubbling in his throat. Yayoi cracked a bright smile at her daughter as she accepted the small gift, then when the child looked away, passed the flower to her husband who stashed it into the fragrant bouquet centerpiece of their pristine dining table.

With all four friends settled in their chairs, the last couple finally entered the gazebo with low-key pizzazz as Ruito opened his arms to announce their presence but was immediately distracted instead. "We're he—Kotori-chaaaaan!" he cried as soon as he spotted Kouji and Yayoi's daughter at the table wearing a citrus-colored dress and a dainty ribbon clip to tie the thin ponytail on her head. Ugetsu hardly batted an eyelash as he pulled out the outdoor wicker chair next to Akihiko, exchanging quiet nods and simple hellos with the other four adults while his other half greeted Kotori with extra enthusiasm.

"I'm not surprised the two boys opted to skip," Ugetsu addressed the most recent wedded couple, already looking forward to a glass of wine to soothe his palate. He dampened his lips, ready to soak up the remaining vacation mood of Golden Week he had left after showing up at Yamanoue High for the past four days of the public holiday that early May.

"Rikka said they're for oldies and I was so hurt." Akihiko placed a hand over his heart with a fake whimper and Haruki nodded in agreement with a similar feigned pout.

"I think they're uncomfortable to have lunch with the third-year head adviser, just a humble opinion," Kouji said leaning back in his chair and the promoted high school teacher breathed a de-stressing sigh.

"They're not even under my supervision yet, the fresh-eyed first-years. I don't even see the two a lot around the campus even when I tell them it's okay to drop by the office if they need anything. Probably feeling awkward going up to the third-year floor, an 'uncharted territory' thing."

"Give them time. It's only been a month since the start of the new school year, right? Let them adjust to the new surroundings and they'll be strutting along the corridors with their chins held high in no time," the musician replied as he claimed the last unoccupied chair between Ugetsu and Yayoi.

"Ritsuka-chan and Mafuyu-chan are in different sections, aren't they?" the mother asked, bringing out a soft toy for Kotori to fiddle with instead of a spoon from the table while Kouji signaled to the vigilant waiter on the porch to start the service of their lunch course. "They're already doing music practice together in their spare time, a little time apart is also nice for a change."

"They prefer barbecue dinners over garden lunches but they end up exploring random places like Minato Mirai in Yokohama," Haruki whined. "This place isn't even as far as that!"

"At least we have _one_ brave soul to join the adult table today." Ugetsu grinned at their youngest company that afternoon. "Right, Kotori-chan?"

"Hungry, hungry," she mumbled, sitting on her father's lap and began chewing on the head of her unicorn plush toy.

"Oh! Take-san, a colleague in our orchestra recently got engaged and I was telling her about your studio. They're planning to have the wedding in her hometown, which is in uh… heh," Ruito trailed off abruptly and a playful slant formed on Ugetsu's lips.

"In Kochi, huh," Kouji easily read the matching halos the couple donned on their heads. "Well, you have my card," he spoke in an easygoing tone. "And we have a couple of new interns helping around, it'd be good exposure for them, I guess. Sure brings back memories for you two, doesn't it?"

"Literally _everyone_ guessed you two had your honeymoon in some far-off exotic place but it was there all along!" Yayoi bantered to the fashionably-clad pair and Akihiko felt his phone vibrate in his tailored trouser pocket.

'Dad, do we have some of the pepperoni left?' Ritsuka's message said and the man raised a suspicious brow. He showed his phone screen to his spouse and the two immediately shared mutual evil grins.

'Orange container, I think.'

What followed was a snapshot of two small homemade pizzas laid on a wooden cutting board, both still uncooked with simple toppings of tomato sauce, mushrooms, and grated cheese, but seemed lacking any meat ingredient.

'Looks good but needs something green,' his father replied and the other parent snorted next to him. On his left, Ugetsu noticed their mini lighthearted commotion on Akihiko's phone and had an easy guess what the blonde pair were giggling about.

"Is it them now?" he asked.

"We'll send Ricchan a pic of our main course later," Haruki winked and Kouji sputtered in laughter.

'They're frozen peas!'

"Include the dessert," Ruito added and this time, Yayoi chortled with glee.

'Mafuyu found it.'

Akihiko expertly switched his app to camera mode and took a quick snapshot of Ugetsu mid-glance at the phone lens, capturing the man's relaxed expression with a resplendent view of greenery and fully-bloomed flowers in the far background.

'Make sure you've done your homework. See you tomorrow, from Sensei,' he typed in the message box with the attached picture then pressed Send. In less than six seconds, his phone dinged once again and Haruki leaned close to his shoulder as they excitedly read the teenager's reply.

'Already finished. And it's called public holiday!' he thundered and the two parents burst into peals of chuckles as they contentedly imagined the annoyed voice of the maturing adolescent boy.

Waiters started arriving at their gazebo with trays of appetizers and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine to begin their first-course meal. Plates of assorted canapés, stuffed mushrooms, and mozzarella sticks with tomato dipping sauce were laid on their table; the wine cork was popped from its vessel and its bubbly contents poured into the flute glasses for the adult guests (and one order of fruit juice for the toddler). All six friends raised their drinks to one another for a grateful toast to their semi-occasional reunion and after resounding clinks of their glasses, they had their first sweet tastes of foam-crowned wine.

As his friends began sampling the aesthetically pleasing hors d'oeuvres, Ugetsu still gripped his elegant glass and tipped another round of his fermented drink, savoring the flavors of apples, pears, and lively hazelnut waltzing gracefully inside his mouth. His school work plagued him the entire week including that morning, and more work also waited for him the next day; but sitting at a table in a garden restaurant that afternoon, he still knew he was in the right place—sipping white cava with his spouse, hearing his friends' lame jokes and unrestrained laughter, smelling flowers as a soft breeze strolled by, and tasting luscious food from his plate.

 _'Another 5th of May'_. The man swirled around the royal-colored liquid in this glass with a smile, letting the bubbles of his drink tickle his throat. Golden Week was ending and he hardly felt rested at all, but that was okay, other holidays have yet to come—for now, the sun was kind and life was good.

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- After all chapters done, here's a cupful of thanks for joining these silly love-drugged couples and friends for a colorful “year” and onwards. :)  
> \- 5/20/20: I just realized there's a 2012 song that exactly matches Take-chan's quote. Absolutely unintentional when I wrote it back then (initially heard from a friend), but yep, still the same gist.  
> \- Extra note about same-sex marriage in Japan: Though not yet formally recognized in all areas of the country, in recent years some municipalities like Tokyo have allowed issuing special certificates that serve close to the legal thing. Ugetsu and his partner (and eventually AkiHaru) are only _symbolically_ married, and yes there are shrines (not many) that offer ritual services in quiet open-mindedness for the LGBT community. (Moved from beginning notes 06/05/20)  
> 


End file.
